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Author: Doug Thomas

  • Isomeric Industries, Inc. Selects TGB Group for Track Expansion Project

    Two of Big Spring Rail’s locomotives working in the new Tarmac Yard.

    Isomeric Industries, Inc. Selects TGB Group for Track Expansion Project

    Work started in December at McMahon Wrinkle Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas

    TGB Group has been selected to design and build Isomeric’s track expansion project at the McMahon Wrinkle Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.  We began working with Isomeric to identify locations for a track expansion to support the growth in their business.  Our team provided consulting and conceptual design services to help determine the best location.  Isomeric then selected us to manage the entire process. 

    We’re providing survey, design, bidding services, construction management and on-site construction observation services for the project, which entered the design phase this month.  We expect construction of the track expansion project to be completed early in the second quarter of 2019.

    Track expansion project and other work in Big Spring

    TGB Group has been the civil engineer of choice for rail projects in Big Spring for many years.  We recently completed a large expansion for the Big Spring Railroad’s (BSR) Tarmac Yard and the design of Alor Trucking’s new transloading facility.  Several other rail expansion projects are slated for 2019 that will further expand the Big Spring Railroad’s ability to store railcars for customers as well as transload railcars for customers in need of these services.

    Big Spring Rail Systems, Inc. maintains and operates approximately six miles of rail line in Howard County, Texas, over trackage owned by the City of Big Spring.

    BSR was established in August 2012 as part of an economic development project by the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation.  It was created to initiate opportunities to transport and distribute product for customers, promoting the accessibility and utilization of existing rail service that was not previously possible.  BSR is headquartered in West Chester, Pa.  The firm interchanges traffic with Union Pacific railroad and is located just west of its Big Spring yard.

    Texas state and local officials have recognized the economic growth that coincides with improving transportation infrastructure.  These investments put a focus on transportation projects while benefiting the community and stimulating economic growth.  Big Spring has been referred to as the “crossroads of west Texas” due to it’s being the only city in the western portion of the state with access to interstate highways going north, south, east and west.  In addition to existing highways and an airpark, BSR is building on this with the inclusion of rail service.

    To learn more about this track expansion project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • Railcar Unloading Facilities in Gonzales, Texas

    LNC Site Map

    Railcar Unloading Facilities in Gonzales, Texas

    TGB Group providing consulting and design services

    TGB Group was selected to design railcar unloading facilities including a track and an unloading pit for a national feed company.  The firm is locating a new production and distribution center in Gonzales, Texas, about 125 miles west of Houston.

    Railcar unloading facilities to handle cattle feed components

    Our team provided conceptual design drawings for the Texas, Gonzales and Northern Railway that helped to bring this customer to Gonzales.  Now we’re in the process of providing consulting and design services for their track, drainage system and unloading pit.  As part of the railcar unloading facilities, these areas will be used to bring in cattle feed components by railcar and trucks for blending, packaging and distribution in the region.

    We are also assisting this client with site-development services that include drainage plans to keep stormwater away from buildings and roadways at the site.  We’re using AutoTurn software to develop routes though out the property that allow trucks to efficiently enter, load/unload and exit.  When completed, the railcar unloading facilities will allow the client to increase operational efficiency and revenue.

    A little history of Gonzales, Texas, from Wikipedia.

    Gonzales was the site of the first skirmish of the Texas Revolution. In 1831, the Mexican Government gave the town a small cannon for protection against Indian attacks.  At the outbreak of disputes between the Anglo settlers and the Mexican authorities in 1835, a contingent of more than 100 Mexican soldiers was sent from San Antonio to retrieve the cannon.

    When the soldiers arrived, there were only 18 men in Gonzales, but they refused to return the cannon, and soon men from the surrounding area joined them.  Texians, as they were known, under the command of John Henry Moore confronted them.  Sarah DeWitt and her daughter sewed a flag bearing the likeness of the cannon and the words “Come and Take It,” which was flown when the first shots of Texan independence were fired on October 2, 1835.  The Texians successfully resisted the Mexican troops in what became known as the Battle of Gonzales.  (From Wikipedia.)

    To learn more about this railcar unloading facilities project in Gonzales, Texas, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

     

    railcar unloading facilities
    The replica “Come And Take It” flag hanging in the Texas State Capitol.

     

  • TGB Group Promoting Safety During the Holidays

    The TGB Dogs: Misty, Jagger and Mikko are always safe during the holidays

    TGB Group Promoting Safety During the Holidays

    Here are some helpful tips for staying safe over the Holidays!

    The best holidays are safe holidays.  Accidents and oversights happen all year long, but during the holiday season people often are more distracted and preoccupied than usual – which is the reason for many of the accidents we experience.  Safety during the holidays means being prepared and alert.

    Here are some tips that will help you make this holiday season the safest and most enjoyable ever.

    Safety during the holidays when traveling

    • Check road conditions and weather before you start off on a holiday trip. This can help prepare you for unexpected circumstances and allow you to plan driving routes around closed highways and roads.
    • Make sure your vehicle is up to date on its servicing. Check the oil level, the radiator, belts, tires (and spare) and other critical components.  If you discover that your vehicle is iffy for a winter trip, you might be better off renting a vehicle instead.  Better safe than sorry.
    • Bring along basic tools such as wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers and a hammer to service your car in the event of an emergency. Also take flares, matches, bottled water, some food, blankets and other possible necessities.

    Safety during the holidays around the house

    • Never deep fry a frozen turkey. Turkeys should be fully thawed before hitting the oil to prevent excess splattering of grease.
    • When hanging Christmas lights, use your best judgement on whether to climb up a ladder or install the lights while on top of the roof. You should always have another able-bodied person with you to act as a spotter.
    • Before starting a fire in the fireplace, make sure the damper is open. Even a partially closed damper can cause smoke and carbon monoxide to back up into the house.
    • If your pets go outside in the cold, check on them periodically while they’re doing their business or doing whatever it is they do out there. Small bodies get super cold really fast.

    These safety during the holidays tips along with other common-sense ideas will help you to have a great holiday season and be in good shape to kick off the new year.

    Happy Holidays from TGB Group!

     

    safety during the holidays
    The TGB Dogs: Missy, Jagger and Mikko are always safe during the holidays.

     

  • Accredo Packaging Expansion Underway

    Accredo Packaging Expansion Underway

    TGB Group working with KDW and Railworks on this Sugar Land, Texas, project

    TGB Group is working alongside KDW (Kingham Dalton Wilson) of Houston and the Railworks office in Pasadena, Texas, to provide services to Accredo Packaging of Sugar Land, Texas, for the expansion of their current operations.

    This is the second building that KDW has designed and built for Accredo Packaging. For this expansion project, Accredo asked for a turnkey solution that includes rail access. KDW will be managing the design and construction of a new 200,000-square-foot building and parking lot, just south of Accredo’s existing 350,000-square-foot Sugar Land manufacturing facility.

    TGB Group is working with Railworks to provide survey, design and construction for the 1,825 feet of railroad track that will consist of two spurs, a crossover and accommodations for drainage. The drainage systems for the rail infrastructure will be seamlessly integrated with the building and parking lot drainage.

    With the completion of this expansion project, Accredo Packaging is expecting to bring 175 new jobs to the residents of Sugar Land and nearby areas. TGB is providing our broad construction and design expertise as we work hand in hand with Railworks and KDW to ensure the project is completed to the customer’s exact specifications.

    Working to improve communities

    TGB Group loves partnering with companies that make serious efforts to help their communities. In addition to being committed to bringing more jobs to Sugar Land, Accredo Packaging is focused strongly on sustainability practices, recycling for the good of the community, conservation programs, environmental improvements and personal health. TGB Group regularly works on projects that, like the Accredo expansion, will help improve the economic climate of all sizes of communities.

    If you’d like more information on the Accredo Packaging expansion project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832)748-7603

  • Jacksboro EDA Grant

    Jacksboro EDA Grant

    Grant to help fund Jacksboro Business Park

    Our Business Development Manager, Jake Cooper, is working with the Jacksboro Economic Development Corporation to apply for an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant. Once secured, the Jacksboro EDA grant will be used for the engineering and construction of roads, waterlines and sewer for phase one of the Jacksboro Business Park project.

    This industrial park will be suitable for a variety of business needs such as light industrial, manufacturing and office complexes. With a population of approximately 4,500, Jacksboro, Texas, looks to tourism, recreation and land development projects to promote opportunities for business and to foster the creation and retention of new jobs. With assistance from the Jacksboro EDA grant, the business park has the potential of creating some 100 new jobs for the community.

    More about the Jacksboro EDA grant

    EDA is a federal resource that helps cities and counties, based on their needs, through specific grants. The program we are applying for is the EDA Public Works Grant, and it is specifically for the engineering and construction of the roads, waterlines and sewer for this project. The Jacksboro Economic Development Corporation and the City of Jacksboro will maintain ownership and right-of-ways for these items throughout the life of the project.

    About the EDA

    The Economic Development Administration is charged with working in accord with the Federal economic development agenda in regions throughout the United States to help these areas grow their economies and be successful in a worldwide economy. The administration focuses on building innovation and competitiveness within the leadership of regions and communities.

    Programs run by EDA provide resources to meet various economic needs of regions that are in financial distress. Goals include job creation and retention, expanded private investment and innovation, enhanced manufacturing capacities, workforce development and attraction of foreign investment.

    To learn more about the Jacksboro EDA Grant project, please contact:

    Jake Cooper, business development manager, TGB Group: (832) 748-0343

  • New Crude Facilities in West Texas

    New Crude Facilities in West Texas

    Multiple crude-by-rail terminals in the works

    TGB Group is currently engaging with a large midstream company to develop four new crude facilities in west Texas. These transloading facilities are planned to be north, south, east and west in the Permian Basin, which spans western Texas and southeast New Mexico. The crude facilities will help with the rising demand for oil transport in the region.

    Our team is providing design, construction management, procurement and consulting services to the developer. Strategic consulting services for the new crude facilities in west Texas are focused on helping the client find optimal locations and assisting the client in the development of efficient operating procedures. TGB Group is working with the railroads involved – both Class I and Short Line railroads – on pricing and routing options.

    About the Permian Basin

    The Permian Basin is a sedimentary basin that contains one of the thickest rock deposits from the Permian geologic period found anywhere in the world. The greater Permian Basin is made up of smaller component basins, the largest of the three being the Midland Basin.

    The rock deposits of the Permian basin begin south of Lubbock, Texas, and extend southward through the Midland/Odessa area almost as far as the Rio Grande River. The basin then extends to the west into New Mexico.

    The Permian Basin falls within one of the country’s richest oil-production areas. With headquarters in Midland and Odessa, the area through 1993 had produced some 15 million barrels of oil.

    To learn more about the new crude facilities in west Texas and our work on this project, please contact:

    Jake Cooper, Business Development Manager, TGB Group: (832) 748-0343

  • Wolf Basin Logistics Facility Project Underway

    Wolf Basin Logistics Facility Project Underway

    TGB Group has begun the first phase of construction for the Wolf Basin Logistics transloading facility project in Big Spring, TX.  We’re scheduled to finish this phase in February 2019, with three other phases to follow. Alor will hire approximately 50 local residents to work at the facility after all phases are complete. This is a great employment opportunity for folks in and around Big Spring.

    The first phase consists of constructing two railroad tracks that will be used for the rail-to-truck transloading of barite and brine for local oilfield needs. Wolf Basin Logistics is helping the Big Spring Railroad by replacing the mainline switch and upgrading the curves that continue onto their (Alor’s) property to ensure safety and longevity.


    Phase I focuses on railroad track construction to receive barite and brine for oil fields

    Brine

    Brine is the term for dissolved salt/salt mixtures and is used in oil drilling. Preferred over water in drilling applications, brines are high-density but don’t contain particles that could cause damage in a drilling operation. Brine classes include bromides, formates and calcium and sodium chloride brines.

    Drone Footage

    TGB Group’s Business Development Manager, Jake Cooper, has been busy taking drone footage of pre-construction areas for the Wolf Basin Logistics transloading facility project. The goal is to provide a visual comparison when phase I is complete. Additional drone footage will be available following the completion of future phases.

    This video footage starts from the Big Spring Railroad and shows Wolf Basin Logistics’s property before any construction was started. You can see the rail curve that leads to the switch that is going to be replaced.

    To learn more about our work on the Wolf Basin Logistics transloading facility project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • Drainage Solution in the Works for Pasadena Chemical Plant

    Drainage Solution in the Works for Pasadena Chemical Plant

    TGB Group will coordinate efforts with the plant and Union Pacific Railroad

    TGB Group is working with the owners of a Pasadena chemical plant to design and construct a drainage solution for their property. Actually located just outside Pasadena, this project requires coordination with both the Union Pacific Railroad, which serves the chemical plant with railcars, and the chemical plant itself. Another critical requirement for the project is that it be finished by early October 2018, which means both the design and construction will have to be completed inside a three-month span.

    To remedy the Pasadena chemical plant’s drainage issues, TGB Group designed an underground pipe solution that would travel beneath and on both sides of two Union Pacific railroad tracks. The pipe is a 24-inch smooth steel pipe that will extend 75-feet. This will allow the pipe to meet or exceed design specifications and requirements pertaining to drainage output and the weight of the two railroads and any trains that pass over it. The drainage pipe will discharge rain and process water into a tributary located east of the rail track, ensuring that drainage will not be inhibited.

    Steps required to gain project approval

    Tasks TGB Group must undertake in order to gain approval for this Pasadena chemical plant project include:

    1. Field survey and reports
    2. Comprehensive drainage study
    3. Creation of the drainage design
    4. Submission of documents to the Union Pacific Railroad

    At this time, we have finished with the design and now are waiting for Union Pacific to give the go-ahead to start construction and related work.

    To learn more about our involvement in this Pasadena chemical plant project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603

  • Industrial Park Expansion Makes News in Big Spring

    Industrial Park Expansion Makes News in Big Spring

    TGB Group provided engineering design and construction management for the project

    TGB Group is in the news again – this time in Big Spring, Texas, where the company is providing design and construction management services for a major rail industrial park expansion.

    The project, launched by the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation (BSEDC), is big news in this city of approximately 27,000. A July 9, 2018 article on NewsWest9.com based in Midland, Texas, pointed out that the “[railroad] track is the road to expansion for the City of Big Spring.”

    The McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park expansion will involve laying an additional 8,000 feet of track and extending the main line track to allow access to properties near the park.

    In a video and accompanying news article, BSEDC Executive Director Terry Wegman said, “This is a continuation of almost six miles of track that we’ve done over the last several years to accommodate existing business and help attract new business to the airport.”

    Video of Big Spring Railroad Project

    Services TGB has been responsible for during the expansion at the former WWII airfield include topographic survey and construction staking; complete engineering design; preparation of necessary forms to obtain FAA, air park and railroad approvals; and construction administration. You can read more about this project in an article we wrote in October of last year.

    TGB President Mike Murphy, who is overseeing his company’s work on the project, told NewsWest9, “The idea is to bring more customers to Big Spring and make them feel comfortable that we have everybody in the room they need to build their project.”

    This is just one of many TGB projects focused on enhancing the economic climate in cities throughout Texas and in nearby states.

  • TGB Reps Attend Texas Economic Development Council Conference

    TGB Reps Attend Texas Economic Development Council Conference

    The Mid-Year Event in Galveston Was a Huge Success

    Representatives from TGB Group attended the Texas Economic Development Council conference last week at the Moody Gardens Hotel Conference Center in Galveston, Texas.

    Before the conference started on Wednesday, June 13, TGB sponsored the annual golf tournament at the Moody Gardens Golf Club. We had a great time with five groups of golfers attending.

    Paddle Boat
    Sunset cruise and bingo trip aboard the Moody Gardens paddle boat.

    In addition to sponsoring the golf tournament, we also supported the TEDC PAC (Political Action Committee) while networking with other TEDC members on the Moody Gardens paddle boat sunset cruise and bingo trip. There were about 100 members on the cruise, and everyone enjoyed the awesome experience, as is the norm at any event connected to a Texas Economic Development Council conference.

    TEDC PAC efforts 

    The Political Action Committee serves as the political arm of the council, the professional association for economic developers within the state of Texas. Created in 1997, the TEDC PAC supports the interests of 850-plus economic developers doing work in Texas. A subcommittee of the TEDC Legislative Committee with representation from across Texas governs TEDC PAC activities.

    The bipartisan committee collects and distributes funds to Texas political candidates and those already in office who wish to build and sustain a robust, competitive environment for economic development activities throughout the state. Contributions are made through collaborative decision-making, with plenty of opportunity for TEDC leadership and members to offer their input. TEDC PAC members can participate in fundraisers and help relay contributions to local representatives.

    You can check out a recap of our involvement in the TEDC conference last February in San Antonio, Texas.

    We look forward to attending the next Texas Economic Development Council conference in Fort Worth, Texas, in October 2018!