Facebook Twitter Twitter    Archive | www.aapa-ports.org June 17, 2014
   

Rail Infrastructure: Brownsville, Metro Vancouver

Print Print this Article | Send to Colleague

OmniTRAX has contracted to manage and operate the short line railway serving the Port of Brownsville and to develop a large-scale industrial park on land owned by the port district. The Government of Canada on June 6 celebrated the completion of three important Asia-Pacific Gateway projects along the rail corridor serving Port Metro Vancouver’s massive Roberts Banks coal and container terminals in Delta (BC).

OmniTRAX to Operate Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad and Develop New Industrial Park at Port of Brownsville

OmniTRAX has been contracted to manage and operate the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, a short line railway serving the Port of Brownsville. The company will also develop a large-scale industrial park on land owned by the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) of Cameron County, the port’s parent governmental body.

The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad runs 45 miles through the Brownsville Navigation District and five miles into the city of Brownsville itself, providing the port and its customers with access to two Class 1 railroads – Union-Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. The railroad also has an intermediate connection via Union Pacific to Kansas City Southern de Mexico routes across the Rio Grande.

The railroad is operating and will continue to be operated on behalf of the Brownsville Navigation District, but under separate management and control. OmniTRAX expects to retain all personnel, including President and COO Norma Torres, under its 30-year lease agreement with the BND.

The Port of Brownsville currently has about 40,000 acres of land available for development. OmniTRAX will work with the BND to develop 1,200 acres for an industrial park. According to the port, the land is well-suited for light and heavy manufacturing, logistics, energy services, technology development and export/import warehousing.

"With recent energy reforms in Mexico, the anticipated development of the Burgos Basin just south of Brownsville and the energy expertise of OmniTRAX affiliate The Broe Group, we expect to take advantage of related opportunities for the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad and the Port of Brownsville," said Brad Skinner, chairman of OmniTRAX.

"The professional rail and industrial development team at OmniTRAX helps us take advantage of our proximity to Mexico and other strategic assets to drive economic growth in the Brownsville region. Their experience and the best practices they use position us for mutual success," said BND Commissioner Ralph Cowen.


3,000-horsepower SD40-2 diesel-electric locomotives operated by the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad.
Photo/Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad

Port Metro Vancouver: Completion of Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Overpass Projects as Part of Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway Initiative

The Government of Canada on June 6 celebrated the completion of three important Asia-Pacific Gateway projects along the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor (RBRC) in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland.

The Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative (APGCI) is an integrated set of investment and policy measures focused on trade with the Asia-Pacific region. It was launched in 2006 with the objective of establishing the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor as the most efficient and reliable transportation network facilitating global supply chains between North America and Asia.

The RBRC is a comprehensive package of road and rail improvements funded through a collaboration of 12 public- and private-sector partners. The C$307-million program is designed to improve the safety and efficiency of the road and rail network, and enhance the quality of life for residents of communities through which rail traffic travels to and from the Deltaport coal and container terminals at Roberts Bank in Delta (BC).

The RBRC Program consists of nine new projects (eight overpass projects and one road construction project) in the British Columbia Lower Mainland. Of the nine projects, five have now been completed, including the three projects dedicated this month.

The total cost of the three projects is approximately C$110.4 million. The Government of Canada has contributed C$30.2 million under the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Transportation Infrastructure Fund. The balance was covered by the port authority (C$23.1 million), the province of British Columbia (C$24.8 million), Canadian Pacific Railway (C$9.7 million), and city of of Surrey (C$8.8 million), the city of Langley (C$8.3 million) and the township of Langley (C$5.5 million):

Each project consists of the construction of an overpass over the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline. These overpasses will eliminate three at-grade road/rail crossings, and will not only improve road safety and efficiency for local citizens, but will also improve traffic flow through the Asia-Pacific Gateway, improving Canada’s trade links with Asian markets.

 

Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn