By: Mary Ellen Powell
DBJ Contributing Writertor
In a presentation in Indianola on Friday, October 4, 2002, Columbus and Greenville
Railway (C & G) announced the completion of a project which has upgraded
track and bridges on its main line from Greenwood to Heathman, Mississippi,
a distance of approximately 40 miles. Those present included Vice Chairman
Wayne Burkes, Surface Transportation Board, Washington, D.C., a former Mississippi
state senator and central district commissioner of Mississippi Department
of Transportation, as well as current Mississippi Department of Transportation
Commissioner Dick Hall and officials from the Canadian National-Illinois Central
Railroad.
According to C & G President and CEO Roger Bell, this project offers shippers
many advantages and raises C & G’s track capacity to the national
standard of 286,000 pounds.
“We’re very pleased to complete this important project,”
commented Bell. “It allows C & G to handle larger payloads more
efficiently and at increased speeds of 25 miles per hour. Improving infrastructure
and having continuous welded rail means we can provide a smoother ride for
our customers’ products and will greatly enhance the safety of our operations.”
The project upgrade is a key factor in positioning the Delta to be more competitive,
in the view of local authorities.
“The upgrade of the C & G main line is certainly a tremendous asset
for Greenville and Washington County,” said Executive Director of Greenville’s
Industrial Foundation, Tommy Hart. “The fact the C & G Railway can
provide this level of service to our area will make a huge difference in our
ability to be competitive economically and ensure our transportation needs
into the future. We’re extremely fortunate to have C & G here, to
see it grow in its capabilities and offer increased transportation advantages
to local companies that require rail.”
Port Director Hal Burdine, Port Development Authority, Greenville, concurred.
“I feel this improvement will greatly benefit the Delta and the entire
region. We are very pleased to see such a major upgrade.”
Shippers cite advantages beyond safety and efficiency, according to Transportation
Manager Ron Kozak, U.S. Gypsum, Chicago, Illinois.
“We hope to explore and take advantage of the upgrade to increase payloads.
C & G’s capital improvement project could make what we do more productive
by lowering overall costs at our Greenville plant, making production more
cost effective in the marketplace,”
Kozack said.
The project from Greenwood to Heathman involved installation of 23,000 crossties,
surfacing 40 miles of track, applying 75,000 tons of ballast and upgrading
54 road crossings. Of particular note is the upgrading of more than 5,000
linear feet of bridges to a capacity of 286,000 pounds.
The second phase of the project will include upgrading ten bridges to a 286,000
pound load capacity, installing 15,000 crossties, upgrading numerous road
crossings, surfacing 20 miles of track and applying 12,000 tons of ballast
between Heathman and Greenville. Roger Bell projects a 2003 completion date
for these improvements.
C & G Railway, part of an original rail company founded in 1878, has served
the region since 1975. In that period, C & G has shipped nearly 400,000
car loads of freight with revenues in excess of $110 million, most of which
have been reinvested in infrastructure throughout the region, says Bell.
“The 286 upgrade project is an investment in the railroad’s future
and the economic health of the Delta. The more we advance our service and
capabilities, the more opportunities for the economy of the Delta to advance
and prosper.” DBJ