Truck to Rail Transload Network

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One of the things we pride ourselves on at Greenfield is our network.  We are a small company, but our reach and capabilities are large.  One key part of that network is transloads.  We currently have transloads (facilities for transferring truck shipments onto rail cars) set up across the U.S. Each of these facilities makes rail more accessible, including the savings that it brings, both in money and in greenhouse gas emissions.  Per the AAR (American Association of Railroads),  greenhouse gas emissions (such as nitrogen oxides and particulates) are reduced by 75% per ton hauled due to fuel efficiencies gained by using rail versus trucking.

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Greenfield currently has 18 transloads across the U.S., and we continue to expand that network.  Our newest transload is in Salt Lake City (close to home!).  It handled its first shipments in January, going to Blanding, quite smoothly.  This facility will safely handle shipments destined for both the Denison Mines facility in Blanding, UT and the Energy Solutions facility in Clive, UT.  It is served by 2 major railroads, the Burlington Northern and the Union Pacific.  This keeps rail costs low.  It also provides for rapid turn-arounds from these two faciliites.

The first rail car transloaded for Clive occurred in February and was a huge success.  Working closely with the Energy Solutions Shipping & Receiving personnel, the rail car was received, containers unloaded, re-loaded and released in 5 days.  This occurred without adding to the always-busy rail traffic at the Clive site.

Environmental Consciousness

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We are now done with the busy holiday season and into the heart of winter.  For many of us it is bitter sweet to be past the holidays but looking to the new year with enthusiasm and forward to a change in seasons. With the turning of the calendar and rolling into a new year the ideas of change in personal or professional lives is a common occurrence.  Many will set new goals or even the dreaded “New Year’s Resolution”.  In many ways we all look for some type of change with a new year.

Greenfield also looks for changes and improvement.  As times change, Greenfield provides consideration to not only the economy and business market, but also the environment.  Greenfield has been privileged to be an important part in the improvement of the world and the environment that surrounds us.  With increasing knowledge and attention to environmental impact, Greenfield prides itself on playing a major role in environmental stewardship.

With the identification of environmentally impacted areas, the proper removal, handling, transportation, and disposition of these affected areas has become increasingly important to the prolonged health of the location and those who surround it.    Greenfield takes great pride in transportation and its involvement in the returning of landscapes to natural or reusable states.

Transportation plays a key role in the efforts to improve the environment and, coupled with technology, is rapidly reducing its own effects on the environment.  The use of rail is aiding in greatly reducing the total carbon footprint associated with an environmental cleanup.  Rail transportation provides the greatest area of improvement because of its ability to move large volumes over great distances with reduced consumption of fuels.  In 2010, new standards went into effect for diesel emission and the transportation industry rose above the challenge with improvements in design and performance further decreasing its own impact on the environment.

The key for progress and improvement of our environment is the sustained effort to identify, transport– which we believe is the most important – and safely dispose of environmentally impacted materials.  Greenfield has had an active part in reducing the “foot print” of these environmentally impacted areas and will continue to play an important part of making the world a little greener.

Making the World Greener

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It’s November.  The leaves are changing, the air is crisper, and the turkeys are feeling endangered.  It’s also the time to reflect and give thanks.  As I look back across the past year, I’m profoundly grateful to have been a part of so much good.  I’m proud to work in  an industry that is working to make America cleaner, greener, and brighter.  Greenfield has been part of significant and impactful efforts to remediate and restore contaminated sites to a cleaner, fresher, and more beautiful environment.  Each project has yielded a satisfaction in being a part of something important, something of legacy.

A couple of examples:

1)   Beginning last summer, Greenfield began the large undertaking of handling the logistics for significantly reducing the footprint of old contaminated buildings and areas at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.  More than a thousand shipments containing debris and soils have been arranged and shipped at an oft-time torrential pace to meet milestones and deadlines.  Night shifts with over 30 trucks have been orchestrated to safely handle difficult loads.  We are nearing the end of the first phase of this effort, and it has been a privilege to see and be a part of the continued efforts to restore this beautiful desert place to its natural beauty.

2) Near the beautiful seasides of northern California, old naval sites had laid dormant for many years.  However, great works have been underway to remediate contaminated areas and restore these places to their natural beauty.  Teamed with EMS and B&B Environmental for the work at Hunters Point and Alameda Naval Stations, Greenfield has been pleased to see container after container filled with old contaminated building debris, dirty soils from old drainage lines, and dredged materials from lagoons.  These containers have been safely transported by truck and by rail to locations where the materials are safely disposed and maintained under a controlled environment.

Of course, there are many other examples of great and enduring actions that have occurred and we have been privileged to witness and be a part of.  Suffice it to say that we are thankful for the past,  and excited about the future.