Rail Spur Site Improvements in Wyoming

Two railroads meet in Cheyenne, and plenty of Wyoming industrial ground sits beside track that never gets used. Union Pacific and BNSF both operate railyards in the city. Between them runs a corridor that can turn a bare lot into a plant that ships by the carload. Getting from lot to loading track is a sequence of civil work, railroad approvals and weather windows.

We build the site improvements around rail spurs: the graded and drained subgrade, the crossings, the loading and unloading pads, the access roads for trucks working beside the track, and the lighting and fencing that keep the area safe. We coordinate with the serving railroad and a track contractor on the track itself, so the owner has one team and one schedule.

The right choice depends on the site. Cheyenne Business Parkway, 900 acres east of central Cheyenne, is not rail served. The Cheyenne Logistics Hub covers about 2,000 acres southwest of the city with access to both BNSF and Union Pacific, a short-line operator, transloading and rail car storage. A plant buyer looking at both is choosing between truck-only and rail-capable ground.

Where rail still pays in Wyoming

Bulk material moves by rail here: coal, soda ash, grain, aggregates, steel and construction material. A Union Pacific line terminates at Casper, serves Torrington on a spur built in 1925 and runs through Douglas and Lusk on its line toward Casper. Union Pacific also serves Rock Springs and Rawlins on the mainline. Where track already exists, a spur can cost far less than the trucking it replaces.

Reuse is its own market. When Campbell County approved rezoning nearly 1,500 acres of Arch Resources' Coal Creek mine near Gillette as heavy industrial, it kept the coal tipple, rail lines and buildings in place for future tenants. Existing track, loadout structures and graded ground change the economics for a new owner, and surveying what is there is the first step of a site improvement plan.

The railroad sets the track rules

The serving railroad controls how a spur connects, and its engineering standards drive the geometry: turnout location, curve radius, track spacing, clearances, drainage and the type of crossing. An industry track agreement spells out who builds, who owns and who maintains each piece. We bring those standards into our site design early so the earthwork matches what the railroad will accept.

Local rules still apply to everything off the track. Wyoming does not apply a single statewide commercial building code. Cities and counties adopt and enforce their own, and the state adopted its 2024 International Codes on June 28, 2024. Grading, drainage and fire access around loading areas follow the local jurisdiction, and we confirm it at the outset.

What the site work covers

Rail work begins with the subgrade. Track needs a stable, well-drained foundation, so we strip, compact and shape the roadbed, build ditches and cross-drains, and place the subballast that the track contractor will build on. At crossings we build the road approach, drainage and signage, and we coordinate with the railroad on flashing signals and gates where they are required.

Alongside the track we build the working pads for transloading, unloading and truck loading. Concrete is common at spotting positions where forklifts and trucks work in the same area. Lighting, fencing and drainage complete the corridor. For lighting, see our yard lighting and electrical site work, and for the base design we draw on our stabilized laydown yards.

Decisions that shape a spur

The first decision is capacity: how many cars at once, how often, and what moves in them. A single-car spot needs far less than a loop track that holds a unit train. The second is the turnout and lead track length, which depends on available land. The third is future expansion. Extending a loop later is cheap if the grade and right-of-way were planned for it, and expensive if they were not.

Transloading changes the math. A site with a transload operation, as the Cheyenne Logistics Hub has, lets small shippers use rail without owning track. For an owner in metals and heavy industry who ships by the carload, a private spur may still be the better call. We lay out the options with cost and schedule and let the owner choose.

Sequencing work with the railroad

Rail projects run on two calendars. Ours covers earthwork, drainage and paving, which follow the weather. The railroad's covers track outages, flagging, signal work and inspection, which follow its own schedule and often need weeks of notice. We plan site work so it is ready when the railroad is, and we keep a float for the day the flagger is not available.

Winter slows earthwork and spring thaw softens roadbed. We schedule subgrade in dry months and leave the finish of track-adjacent paving for when the ground is stable. Where a project is tied to a plant startup date, we work backward from the first car to the last pour and share the critical path with the owner every week.

Buildings that sit beside the track

A spur makes sense when a building is designed around it. A pre-engineered metal building with a rail door, a bulk storage shed, a transload warehouse and a heavy manufacturing plant all use track in different ways. Door height, clearance, floor load and apron grade all change with the equipment, and we coordinate the site work with the building design.

We build the site to serve the structure. Floor slabs at rail doors need heavy joints and edge details. Aprons need to drain away from the building and the track. Parking, truck turns and fire lanes have to fit around the siding without crossing it more than necessary. Planning that layout once saves rework.

Start with the site and the railroad

Tell us the site, the railroad that serves it and what you plan to ship. We will survey the ground, sketch the options and price the site work so you can compare a private spur with trucking or a transload.

Common Questions

Do you lay the track?

We build everything around the track and coordinate with the serving railroad and a track contractor on the rail, ties, ballast and turnout. That keeps one point of contact for the owner. The railroad often has approved contractors or its own forces for work that connects to its main line.

How long does a spur take to approve?

It depends on the railroad and the complexity of the connection. Expect a design review, an industry track agreement and a construction window. We start the site work and the paperwork together so earthwork is done by the time approvals arrive.

Is a rail spur worth it for a small plant?

Sometimes. If the plant ships a few carloads a month, a transload site may be cheaper than a private spur. If it ships daily, a spur usually pays back. We help owners compare trucking, transloading and a private spur before they commit to land.

What about drainage along the track?

Track needs water carried away from the roadbed. We grade ditches, culverts and cross-drains so water never sits against the subgrade. In winter, snow storage areas are kept clear of the track and switches.

Can you reuse existing rail at an old industrial site?

Often. We survey the track, loadouts and graded ground and report what is reusable. Reuse can save significant cost, but the railroad will inspect and may require upgrades before it accepts cars.