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  • 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.

     

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.

  • Design Work to Commence for Diesel Terminal in West Texas

    Design Work to Commence for Diesel Terminal in West Texas

    TGB Group is providing plans for 50,000 feet of track for the facility

    We’re in the process of launching a design project for a new diesel terminal in west Texas.  Diesel fuel is used in a variety of applications in our region including power for vehicles and machinery as well as in the expanding oil fracking industry.  Our client wants to be prepared for the considerable growth expected in this industry, and the plans we create will help them do just that.

    The diesel terminal in west Texas will have a storage capacity of up to 160,000 barrels of diesel fuel, which will be delivered via railroad.  In order for the facility to accommodate this high demand, we’re overseeing the design and construction of more than 50,000 feet of railroad track.

    When the track is in place, two loaded unit trains with approximately 100 railcars each will be able to access the facility concurrently.  The railcars will empty into one of several 40,000-barrel storage tanks, after which trucks will load the diesel and transport it out to the oil fields.

    How diesel is used in fracking

    Fracking fluid, commonly referred to as frac fluid, is a mixture of specific chemicals including diesel fuel used to increase the amount of hydrocarbons that can be extracted during drilling operations.  In addition to keeping the well from becoming corroded, frac fuel serves as a lubricant during the extraction process and helps to prevent machinery clogs and the growth of bacteria in and around the drilling site.

    The specific chemical mixture of frac fluid will vary from well to well.  Great care must be taken when working around this fluid as some of the compounds used in it can pose health risks.

    To learn more about our design work for this diesel terminal in west Texas, please contact:

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

  • TGB Group to Design Transload Facility

    TGB Group to Design Transload Facility

    Wolf Basin Logistics

    Project for Wolf Basin Logistics in Big Spring, Texas, Is Underway

    TGB Group has finalized a contract with Alor Trucking of Big Spring, Texas, to design and develop a new transload facility in that city. The facility will employ a rail-to-truck transloading process that will be used primarily for the transport of barite, pipe and diesel fuel. TGB engineers are currently working through the design phase of the transload facility. As with many other projects we undertake, this one will require a very quick turnaround to allow construction to begin in 2018.

    Scope of the transload facility project

    Wolf Basin Logistics in 2017 purchased the 17-acre site, which will be dedicated to the new transload facility. When the project is finished, the company will have the capacity to transload up to 53 railcars on eight separate tracks. Plans also call for a warehouse adjacent to the transloading facility. The warehouse will encompass approximately 37,000 square feet and have its own rail spur capable of unloading from boxcars into the building.

    Services TGB Group will provide

    Survey

    • Provide topographic and boundary survey of lots.
    • Site/civil design for the new rail car transload including site grading, dimension plan, pavements, rail layout, truck scale design (includes truck-turning movements), stormwater drainage.
    • Design review with Big Spring Railroad and the City of Big Spring for approval.

    Bidding and contractor selection

    • Prepare bid documents and solicit pricing for construction from qualified site and rail contractors for the proposed rail car transload development.
    • Tabulation of bids and recommendation to client on contractor selection.

    Stormwater pollution prevention plan

    • Prepare the erosion control plan and SWPPP in accordance with TCEQ for the proposed rail car transload facility site development.
    • Prepare Notice of Intent for client signature.

    Construction Administration

    • Review shop drawings and submittals; answer contractor questions regarding site work during construction.
    • Provide onsite construction observer during key phases of construction to ensure construction is being completed as planned.

    Other work in Big Spring

    Earlier this year, TGB Group was hired by the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation to design and manage the construction of a large project at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring. This project, which was approved for construction in March 2018, included numerous elements within an industrial park rail expansion for the Big Spring Railroad.

    To learn more about this transloading facility design project in Big Spring, Texas, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (866) 217-7794

  • Industrial Park Rail Expansion in Big Spring, Texas

    Industrial park rail expansion scheduled at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.

    Industrial Park Rail Expansion in Big Spring, Texas

    TGB Group will provide design plans and construction management at this historic airpark

    TGB Group has been retained by the Big Spring Economic Development Corporation to design and manage construction of an industrial park rail expansion for the Big Spring Railroad at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.

    The project at this city-owned, public-use airfield and industrial park will include the laying of more than 8,000 feet of track to allow for the expansion of storage and switching capacity of the Big Spring Rail System.  Plans also call for extending the main line track so that properties adjacent to the park can be accessed.

    Key services TGB is providing for the industrial park rail expansion include:

    • Topographic survey and construction staking
    • Complete engineering design
    • Preparation of necessary forms to obtain FAA, air park and railroad approvals
    • Construction administration
    industrial park rail expansion
    Industrial park rail expansion scheduled at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park in Big Spring, Texas.

    A former WWII airfield

    Operated as Big Spring Army Airfield by the U.S. Army during World War II, the Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport occupies about 2,200 acres of land and features two runways and a 4,000-square-foot air terminal.  Primary activities at the airport include recreational flying, agricultural spraying, corporate aviation and flight instruction.  The facility manages the Hangar 25 Air Museum, hosts various air shows and was the location of the 2007 Hang Gliding World Championships.

    Bidding, contractor selection and our new drone

    After our design plans are completed and approved, the TGB team will provide bidding and contractor selection services for the project.  We will also engage in comprehensive management of construction activities to ensure that all specifications are adhered to and that the project is completed according to time schedules.

    Assisting us in construction management will be our new Phantom 4 drone that will provide high-definition photos and video of work activities during various building phases and at the completion of the project.  The addition of this drone to our arsenal of tools allows us to bring unmatched accuracy of visual data to all survey activities.

    Construction for the project is slated to begin March 1 and last approximately four months.

    To learn more about the industrial park rail expansion at the McMahon-Wrinkle Air and Industrial Park or to get further specs on this project, please contact:

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

  • San Jacinto River & Rail Park

    San Jacinto River & Rail Park

    Rail in Houston, Texas

    TGB Group was hired by W&P Development Corporation of Texas to provide civil design services for a Houston industrial park development served by the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway. Our tasks included design for approximately 12,000 feet of railroad track, remote power turnouts adjacent to a Class I railroad main line, and more than 100,000 feet of additional track inside the industrial park.

    Rail design

    The rail portion of the project included nearly 75 custom Vossloh turnouts with radar and rail car identification technology to provide exact, positive location information of more than 4,000 cars that eventually will be held in the park. This is a first-of-its-kind yard in the United States and will make locating customers’ cars when released a much more efficient process.

    Special consideration was taken for design and operational integrity where the industrial rail met the proposed Class I railroad. TGB Group analyzed the options of wood, steel and concrete ties to determine which would be the most economical while keeping in mind long-term maintenance for the client.

    In addition to the rail, there was an 800-plus-acre site design that called for a drainage plan with more than six miles of ditches, one and a half miles of access roads, more than 150,000 cubic yards of dirt work, utility design and mitigation, as well as three road crossings.

    Pipelines

    As many in the industry know, throughout the Houston area there are buried pipelines that must be considered in any project that includes digging. In our project, there were two water wells that required capping, a 24-inch water line that had to be encased, and three petroleum company pipelines to address. One of these was a 24-inch crude line that was deep enough to not require encasing. The other two were much shallower. TGB Group worked with the client and the pipeline owners to arrange for the lines to be encased so that railroad tracks could safely be installed over them.

    Other project elements TGB Group managed included:

    • Topographic and ALTA surveys
    • Environmental site assessments
    • Geotechnical investigation
    • Sub-surface utility investigation
    • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

    Additionally, we worked with the Army Corps of Engineers on a Wetlands Jurisdictional Determination.

    Approvals and project launch

    The project was designed according to the Class I railroad’s industrial design standards and the American Railway Engineering Maintenance of Way Association guidelines. After handing over the initial design, TGB Group worked closely with the client and representatives from the short line railroad and the Class I railroad during the review process to receive approval.

    The site plan was submitted to the Class I railroad for review and approval in the spring of 2017. The design was completed in summer of 2017. The developer required a fast-track design schedule for the project, and all timelines were met or exceeded, allowing construction to begin at the specified time.

    If you’d like to know more about TGB Group’s involvement in this project, please contact:

    Mike Murphy, president, TGB Group: (832) 748-7603
    Brad Sullivan, W&P Development: bsullivan@sjrr.us