As a major mining and transportation hub, Salt Lake City and Ogden are two of the crossroads of the west, and maintain much of the western feel and style. Many of the railroad constructions around Utah have been there for hundreds of years, and are still being maintained and repaired to this day. Our own story with Utah is long and expansive, and today we are going to start a new series covering our relationship with the Beehive State, and our history operating within it.
Utah acts much like a second home to many of our crews here at Mountain States Contracting. With the southwest being one of most widely traveled and covered regions, Utah acts as a major connection between states like Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Idaho, Colorado and more. Because of its close proximity to many industrial sites and mining hubs, we constructed our first field office outside of Arizona in Ogden, UT. There, our crews can equip and prepare themselves for journeys to our more remote sites in the Northwest and Western states.
However, we are not the only contractors to realize Utah as an ideal expansion point. Many companies have used Salt Lake City and Ogden as major avenues for their work. For ourselves, our long history of operating out of the area has earned us strong relationships with our partners and industrial sites in the area. For these reasons, we are proud to be known as one of Utah’s top railroad contractors.
Be sure to keep up with us as we continue to update this series, going further into our history as a railroad contractor in Utah. Thank you for reading, and stay posted.
The American Southwest is one our major hubs of work, and Colorado is no exception. Our railroad services allow Colorado’s large Rockies to be crossed safely and effectively, transporting millions of dollars of goods per year. As more and more Americans move to Colorado each year, the need for new railroad construction and extended track maintenance is growing. From Denver to Boulder. Golden to Durango. Colorado Springs to Greeley. Our railroad services will help your business become connected.
Colorado is one of the states with the biggest demand of new railroad construction work. Connecting to your local spur line is important. It opens possibilities for your business. Our crews travel from the mountains to the plains, ensuring that this becomes reality. Whether your needs are commercial or industrial, ensure that you get the transportation services you need. Our plans are designed to make sure you get the most efficient and effective railroad possible. Be sure to learn more about our new railroad construction services here.
Though many rails are being constructed as we speak, existing ones need to be maintained. Our crews have been trained in FRA track inspection and maintenance. Not to mention we have the fleet of equipment to back it up. Make sure you avoid the unthinkable by making sure your railroad maintenance has been scheduled today. Find out more here.
To learn more about what our staff and crew can offer your business, be sure to visit our services page. Ensure that your business is operating to its fullest extent. For inquiries, be sure to give us a call at 1(800)827-0743, or email our Founder at vern@mscrr.com.
Our railroad services spread across most of the American West and Midwest, but Idaho has become one of our busiest states within the last few years. As a railroad contractor in Idaho, we can see just how much the state is growing. Boise is expanding. The suburbs are expanding. And the demand for railroad construction and track maintenance is expanding.
As much as Idaho needs new tracks, it needs to maintain the ones they already have. Some of most recent jobs have been railroad repair and track maintenance projects in Idaho. During frigid winters in the area, rails will cool and constrict. When summer rolls around, the same rails expand, causing fractures and breaks that can lead to accidents or incidents. Our crews make sure that never happens.
The Union Pacific Railroad connects much of the Western U.S. together, and it is a privilege to work with them in Idaho. Our work brings us to all corners of the state, connecting industrial to commercial, and people to people. We are appreciative of these wonderful opportunities, and ready for the growth of ID.
To find out what all we can offer for you and your company, be sure to visit our services page. There you can find more information on our contracting services, as well as examples of our previous work. For any questions or inquiries, please be sure to call us at +1(800)827-0743, or email our Founder at vern@mscrr.com.
Thank you for joining us for another monthly edition of our blog! Today we will be overviewing some recent changes in funding and construction within the New Mexico area. The UPRR (Union Pacific Railroad) will be adding an additional $7 million in grant funding this year in order to increase the reliability, safety, and efficiency of freight and passenger service throughout the state. Two particular projects will be receiving the majority of these funds, the SW Chief Raton Route, and the Santa Teresa At-Grade Separation.
These two projects in particular make up two of the most traveled avenues through New Mexico, and supply a large amount of both industrial and commercial traffic to Albuquerque and surrounding areas. For other railroad contractors, this is a huge opportunity for growth. As these rails become renovated and fit for business, one can assume that the need for spur line or ancillary line construction will also increase. For one of the major spur line contractors in the American West, we could not be more excited.
New Mexico will also be working on projects throughout the state, looking to strengthen its infrastructure and transportation networks. After the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration chose 29 states to receive over $320 million in funding for Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, we can expect to see many states following New Mexico’s lead.
We truly seek to see this wonderful country’s infrastructure strengthened and reinforced. With grant funding such as these we are happy to know that there are states taking the initiative and beginning the processes of renovation. We will be sure to continue paying attention to other local railroad projects, and encourage you to do the same!
We hope you enjoyed this short read regarding the industry and be sure to stay tuned for more railroad contracting news! Also, we feature snippets and showcases from our crews, as well as state spotlights. Thank you for joining and see you next time!
As we continue with our state showcases, we wanted to make a special note for this amazing and expansive area near our home of Arizona. From the bright city lights of Las Vegas, to forested tops of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and around the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe, Nevada is a state of beautiful natural landscapes and riveting historical sights. Outside of all this, Nevada acts as a gateway between the American Southwest and the West Coast, including commercial and industrial capitals like Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Portland, and more. Due to this, our crews are constantly traveling out to the Battleborn State to keep our transportation infrastructure active and healthy.
In Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno, urban households dominate the landscape and the demand for commodities and raw goods skyrocket. Here, rail transport is essential, and the transportation of goods from across the country and between country lines travel along these railways. That is why our crews and railroad contractors similar to us have our work cut out for them. On top of their large urban cities, Nevadans can also boast of being one of the largest raw good producing states in the Union. With mines old and new scattered across the majority of the state, minerals and supplies are constantly in need of new transport and new rail lines. If you specialize in railroad construction and are in Nevada, you are never out of work.
Thank you for following this rendition of another state showcase! We will be sure to expand upon these showcases in the future, and offer a sneak peak into our various railroad construction, track inspection, and track repair projects across Nevada. Be sure to contact us if you have any questions or interest in supporting your own railway needs!
Though we operate all over the western half of the United States, we find ourselves pulled to certain states that hold special places in our hearts. One in particular is our neighboring state from our main office, New Mexico. The Land of Enchantment is a hotspot for new railroad construction projects, as well as maintenance and repair projects from existing spur lines. Outside of that, New Mexico also hosts a large amount of our community as their life-long home, and for many others, their birthplace. Due to this, we wanted to give a special shout out to this wonderful state, and a little about our involvement in it.
Before Mountain States Contracting, Inc. became the leading railroad contractor across Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and more, the company was struggling to maintain personnel, equipment, and business. The small railroad contracting company was based out of Arizona, and felt difficulty trying to expand outside of this. In the late 1980s, brother Vern and Blake Van De Loo requested that MSCRR assist them with a project close-by in Ft. Wingate, NM. This was the first time our current owners met the company, and the bond that was created between the group brought a motivational boost to Mountain States Contracting, Inc.’s longevity. The brothers decided that after the project was complete, they would move permanently to Arizona to manage and promote the railroad contractor.
New Mexico gave us our start as a railroad construction and track repair company, and since then we have made connections throughout the state that has propelled us forward. In this series, we will continue to speak about New Mexico. From stories on job sites, to community stories, we will continue this highlight next month!
Thank you for joining, and keep posted for us soon!
One of our trusted and long time supervisors, Fernando, led his crew across the Nevadan deserts this month to start a new project in the “Battleborn” state. The crew began a large railroad construction project, requiring multiple designs, and a long build time. After loading up the ties and ballast, as well as coordinating the fleet of equipment at their disposal, the crew set off for the job site to begin work. Follow this exclusive look into the process of a railroad contractor, and a new design / build project.
Dealing with a facility such as this one in Nevada required that the crew installed multiple switches and crossings across previously existing rails, roads, and other passageways. They also had to keep in mind with this railroad design that there were multiple storage and warehousing facilities on site that required rail access. The design had to be perfect, and had to be over encompassing of the job site’s various establishments, hazards, and personnel. However, our team of architects and surveyors were on top of the job, and drafted a functional and efficient track that would meet our client’s desires as well as ensure all safety standards would be upheld. As the surveyors left and the architects sent their plans over to Fernando, the crew mobilized and began to gather the equipment needed for the new railroad construction project. A few days later, the crew was on the move.
After receiving the drafts for the new design/ build job, Fernando and his crew lugged ballast, ties, rails, rail clips, and more out to the job site to begin the railroad construction process.
To begin, the crew was required to tamper and raise the rack in order to ensure a sure foundation for the new rail system. This requires using one of the many different equipment found in our fleet to grade the track, and either lift or lower it to ensure safety standards and standards of practice. Once the track is graded, the crew can then begin to install ties using one of our tie placers. These ties ensure the solidity and longevity of the rail system, and are essential to ensuring a perfect outcome for a railroad construction project. After this strenuous process, ensuring miles of track have the correct tie placement, the crew can then begin to ballast and install the rails.
Rails can be installed and placed to ensure fluidity in between pieces of the tracks, as well as to ensure that the grading was done properly. However, before any rail clips are installed, the crew needs to ballast in-between the ties to further secure the foundation of the rail as a whole. In the railroad construction process, this is essential to get done efficiently and properly. Once ballast is dumped and the ties are secure, the crew can then begin to secure the rails using rail clips.
Thank you for following this story, and stay posted for later this month when we finish the story with the finished rail!
Constructing spur lines or new railways is one of the most essential vitals then keep our infrastructure alive as a nation. Our network of rail lines throughout the country act as veins to the various high-priority cities that make up the backbone of the U.S. economy. Ensuring that these spur lines connect suppliers to vendors, raw materials to production facilities, inland mines to trade coasts, is crucial to ensure the U.S. does not falter in its supply chain nor in its production capabilities. Therefore, railroad contractors possess a very difficult, yet important job.
Utah acts as a major crossroads for the central western U.S. Bordering key states for mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, Utah sees hundreds of train carts passing through its borders monthly. To have an idea of just how many different railways operate here, this is a map of the Utah collective for railroads. The majority of these spur lines tend to connect up with the BNSF and UPRR railways, the two major lines in the U.S. Though only specialized contractors are allowed to work on these major lines, most railroad contractors build spur lines to connect to the major railways instead. With many of our own business taking place in Ogden and Salt Lake City, we know all to well how much opportunity there is for new railways.
This is not to mention the sheer amount of production that Utah has itself. With nearly 40% of the states exports equated to rich metals needed for construction and ancillary goods, Utah’s mining industry is booming. The amount of specialized spur lines leading from these mines to connecting spur lines are exuberant, and in constant demand. This allows railroad contractors multiple opportunities for new construction within this area.
Thank you for reading thus far, and we hope that this has been informational for you. We will be posting new posts weekly regarding different railroad contractor news, as well as news regarding the overlapping industries involved. Be sure to stay tuned.
Any design / build project begins with a need. Spur lines are essential to the American industrial system, and acts as the major thoroughfares between the largest railways of America, the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). These spur lines act as the roots that connect all major plants, mines, lumber mills, and more to the stem of each major railway. By conducting a new railroad construction project, our job as a railroad contractor is to ensure that a new source of our industrial backbone is added to the network of trading and transportation for our country. When seeing it through this end, one can truly tell how essential spur line contractors are not only to the infrastructure of this country, but also its raw-goods economy.
So, now that we have covered its importance in our systems, now we can get down to how a track is really analyzed to discover the most efficient way to connect it to the UPRR or the BNSF. All designs require one of our track inspection teams to go on site and look at any existing site materials and rail lines. The crews look for flaws or potential hazards in the previous track, while making notes for future reference as new rail and ties are hauled in.
Also, while on the site, the supervisor will begin taking either aerial-drone shots of the site to map out the topography for the railroad design. This equipment allows us to measure relative distances, differences in grades, and any other relative geographical obstacles that may hinder the railroad construction project. The supervisor will also be responsible for looking into the surrounding area for any other buildings or previous constructions that may be hindered or obstructed by the introduction of the new spur line. These obstacles can include, but are not limited to: roads, rails, lines or pipes, buildings, etc.
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