Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 26

Innovative solution for ballast fouling
Preventing ballast fouling is attractive
to railroads, rail facilities, storage facilities,
switchyards and other sites where
rail is maintained. If ballast fouling can be
eliminated or delayed and maintenance
cycles extended, companies like Texas
City Terminal Railway Company win
by cutting costs, improving safety, and
decreasing outages and downtime.
Addressing the ballast
fouling issue
Texas City Terminal Railway Company is
receptive to trying new technologies. In
the spring of 2021, Industrial Fabrics, Inc.
presented a solution that would significantly
decrease the ballast fouling at the
Port of Texas City. Industrial Fabrics, Inc.
had developed a new product specifically
designed to address this phenomenon.
The product would later earn the name
BaseLok® BallastGuard™.
Industrial Fabrics's geotextile partner
FIGURE 10 Initial installation of BaseLok® BallastGuard™ along a seawall
at the Port of Texas City - May 2021. Photo courtesy of Karis Loughner
FIGURE 11 BaseLok® BallastGuard™ test
section in service at the Port of Texas City -
July 2022. Photo courtesy of David Bullock
26
Geosynthetics | February March 2023
FIGURE 12 BaseLok® BallastGuard™ test
section in service at the Port of Texas City -
December 2022.
is a leader in geotextile manufacturing
in the United States. As such, they knew
a traditional polypropylene or polyester
nonwoven would not be sufficient to
mitigate the effects of pumping caused
by train movement. Additionally, they
recognized a more robust product would
be needed to reduce ballast fouling-a
product that would prevent the migration
of even the most persistent fines
while still allowing the section to drain
properly. After significant testing and
design work, they created a heavyweight
needlepunched nonwoven fabric comprised
of a proprietary blend of polyester
and polypropylene fibers for this application.
Industrial Fabrics's contribution
to the product came through the inclusion
of a high-strength, high-stiffness
biaxial geogrid and lamination service.
They decided BaseLok BL6 was the most
appropriate product to laminate to the
geotextile due to its high level of performance.
BaseLok BL6 is a high-strength,

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
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 16
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
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 23
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
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 32
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
Geosynthetics February/March 2023 - 39
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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https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-february-march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-december-2023-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-october-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geoysynthetics-august-september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-june-july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-april-may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-february-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-december-2022-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/ata/geosynthetics/geosynthetics-october-november-2022
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