Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 21

Innovative solution
for ballast fouling
Geocomposite solution helps Port of Texas City, Texas City
Terminal Railway Company.
By Keith C. Brooks, P.E.
R
emy Steffer, director of engineering at the Port of Texas City, Texas City
Terminal Railway Company, and Houston Belt and Terminal Railway, is
very familiar with ballast fouling. Overseeing operations at a port facility south
of Houston, Texas, Steffer has dealt with ballast fouling his entire career. The Port
of Texas City is located approximately 45 miles south of downtown Houston on
Galveston Bay. Its proximity to the bay creates an ever-present saturated subgrade,
which significantly contributes to the ballast fouling phenomenon. According to
Steffer, " Typically, in areas with a high water table such as ours, we would plan
any fouled ballast remediation activities, per location, every three to five years.
Texas City Terminal Railway Company spends on average $250,000 to $500,000
a year on fouled ballast remediation activities including undercutting, cribbing,
and surfacing. " Additionally, downtime on the railway is costly in terms of lost
revenue, as less efficient routes are often required due to track maintenance outages
(Brooks and Steffer 2022).
The Port of Texas City is privately owned by Union Pacific and Burlington
Northern Santa Fe railroads. The port is operated by Texas City Terminal Railway
Company and is the largest privately owned port in the country. Founded in 1893
as a harbor and rail operation, the Port of Texas City is now the eighth-largest port
in the United States and the third-largest port in the state of Texas. More than
78 million waterborne tons of material move through the port annually (Moore
Memorial Public Library, n.d.).
" Texas City Terminal Railway Company currently operates approximately 32
miles of tracks. Due to our proximity to the Gulf Coast and our previously mentioned
high water table, fouled ballast locations occur throughout our entire track
structure " (Brooks and Steffer 2022). In early 2021, Texas City Terminal Railway
Company met with Industrial Fabrics, Inc. to discuss ongoing issues with railroad
maintenance and ballast fouling. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Industrial
Fabrics, Inc. has a major geosynthetics manufacturing facility in south Houston
Keith C. Brooks, P.E. is director of
engineering at Industrial Fabrics, Inc.
in Houston, Texas. He has nearly two
decades of experience designing
with geosynthetics.
All figures courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted
GeosyntheticsMagazine.com
21
http://www.GeosyntheticsMagazine.com

Geosynthetics February/March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geosynthetics February/March 2023

Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover1
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover2
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 1
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 2
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 3
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 4
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 5
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 6
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 7
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 8
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 9
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 10
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 11
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 12
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 13
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 14
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 15
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Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 17
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 18
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 19
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 20
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 21
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 22
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Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 24
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 25
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 26
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 27
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 28
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 29
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 30
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 31
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Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 33
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 34
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 35
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 36
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 37
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 38
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Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 40
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 41
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 42
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 43
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 44
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover3
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - Cover4
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