Inside Track
New Concrete Tie Facility Supports U.S. Railroads
Posted April 30, 2014 02:15 PM CDT
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During a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the plant, Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds officially set the new line for the production of concrete ties in motion, symbolically sending a train on its maiden delivery voyage.
The Lincoln Railport, a new development site in Clinton, Iowa, welcomed The RAIL.ONE Group, a concrete rail tie manufacturer, to the neighborhood this week. The $22 million manufacturing project will bring 65 new jobs to the Greater Clinton region, and a new factory that will produce 600,000 rail ties annually for rail lines across the U.S.
The rail port is approximately 2.5 hours west of Chicago, and is located on the UP main line route, which averages 45 trains per day. "We are excited about this facility and grateful to RAIL.ONE for bringing their concrete tie products to Iowa and Union Pacific," said D. Lynn Kelley, Union Pacific vice president of Supply and Continuous Improvement.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the plant, Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds officially set the new line for the production of concrete ties in motion, symbolically sending a train on its maiden delivery voyage. Also in attendance were Union Pacific Chief Engineer David Connell, RAIL.ONE CEO Jochen Riepl, Clinton Mayor Mark Vulich and Chairman of the Clinton Regional Development Corporation Board of Directors Steve Howes.
"All parties involved worked quickly and efficiently to make the project a reality," Howes said. "This project provides investment and jobs that will benefit the entire region. We are pleased to welcome RAIL.ONE to our community."
Rail.One Group’s CEO Jochen Riepl (center) points out the various concrete tie designs during the grand opening of Rail.One’s new manufacturing plant in Clinton, Iowa, to Union Pacific’s (from left) David Connell, vice president–Engineering; Kevin Hicks, general director–Engineering Design; Lynn Kelley, vice president–Supply and Continuous Improvement; Dwight Clark, general director–Engineering Technology–track; and Wendy Whalen, general director-Strategic Sourcing-Engineering.
