The Northwest Ohio Terminal Facility, a new freight transit hub under construction in North Baltimore, Ohio, is being built with the aim of making it among the most environmentally friendly and technologically advanced freight terminals in the country.
The facility, which is scheduled for completion in 2011, will be the cornerstone of the National Gateway, an $842 million, multi-state public-private partnership that will create a double-stack rail corridor between Mid-Atlantic ports and Midwestern markets.
Cranes installed by Hans Kuenz GmbH are expected to reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency and significantly reduce emissions. When transferring cargo containers between trains and trucks, the cranes will use electric motors to reduce emissions. They will also store the energy from crane, trolley and hoist decelerations.
"The Northwest Ohio Terminal Facility will set a new standard for the American railroad industry," said Guenter Bischof, managing director, Hans Kuenz GmbH. "Equipment choices and advanced technologies combine to increase this facility's productivity and reduce its environment impact."
Plans also include the use of optical cargo scanners at inbound and outbound gates to improve terminal efficiency and minimize truck idle time. Scanners at both ends of the Northwest Ohio Terminal Facility will feed container information into the operations system to provide a work order to the trucker automatically.
Moreover, the terminal will be lit with high-pressure sodium bulbs and will utilize NARSTCO Steel Ties, which are made from recycled steel and are 100% recyclable.
"The Northwest Ohio Terminal Facility will exemplify a commitment to environmental stewardship and serve as a catalyst for future economic development opportunities in the surrounding regions," said Thomas R. Blaha, Executive Director of the local Wood County, Ohio, Economic Development Commission
The Northwest Ohio Terminal will be built and operated by Evansville Western Railway Inc. of Paducah, Ky., an affiliate of CSX.