Washington state port pursues higher track class, train speed for its line
8/31/2023
By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
A port in Washington state continues to address its rail infrastructure after a long period of deferred track maintenance.
The Port of Benton in Richland currently is focusing on tie and grade crossing replacements along its 16-mile rail line between Center Parkway in Kennewick and Horn Rapids Road in north Richland. The line serves the port’s and city of Richland’s industrial properties, and an additional industrial site in Hanford.
In 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy transferred 760 acres in Hanford to the port, a transaction that included the rail line, railroad facilities and a major warehouse. Tri-City Railroad Co. had leased and operated the line for the port for 25 years, but that business relationship ended last year.
Tri-City did not perform what the port considered to be adequate routine track maintenance, said Summers Miya, the port’s public information officer, in an email.
Part of the track improvements include replacing 1,200 wood ties. All planned trackwork is slated for completion in mid-2024. Port of Benton “After prolonged litigation, the port obtained full control of the rail and has been playing catch up the last few years trying to get the track back to Class 2 industrial track [classification] as determined by the Federal Railroad Administration,” she said.
In addition to seeking the higher track standard, the port is trying to restore the line to the degree it will only need typical annual maintenance going forward. Overall, the ongoing trackwork will enable train speeds on the line to increase from 5 mph to 25 mph, the maximum speed allowed by a Class 2 classification, said Miya.
Earlier this year, the port contracted Columbia Rail Group to manage, operate and maintain the line. The company — which began operations on Feb. 1 — interchanges the port’s traffic with BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad.
But for now, the port — which was established in 1958 as a special-purpose district in a large part of Benton County — is overseeing the line improvements. The current work will cost an estimated $4.4 million, which will be covered by a $1.2 million state budget appropriation, a $1 million 2023 Freight Rail Assistance Program grant, $865,000 from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s National Highway Freight Program and $1.1 million from port matching funds.
In 2022, the port replaced grade crossings at the State Route 224/Van Giesen and Swift Boulevard/Cemetery Street intersections. Port of Benton The line upgrades are necessary to enhance safety, decrease the time trains need to enter and exit the industrial track, and increase the number of rail cars that pass through the facility daily, port officials say.
The currently funded projects include replacing 1,200 wood ties on the line and replacing two crossings at the State Route 240/Horn Rapids Road and Airport Way/Saint Street intersections. Last year, the port replaced crossings at the State Route 224/Van Giesen and Swift Boulevard/Cemetery Street intersections.
Tie work is underway and preliminary efforts on the additional crossing replacements have started, said Miya. Completion of all work is anticipated in mid-2024.
“However, rail and signal components continue to be delayed due to supply-chain issues,” Miya said.