Audio clip
Bill Payne
Most newly minted Chattanooga-made Volkswagens will start their shipment to dealers across the country at a $10.7 million rail loading yard.
"There will be a lot of rail activity," said Steve Leach, the city's public works administrator, on Tuesday.
The city's Industrial Development Board approved a contract for Thomas Brothers Construction Co. of Soddy-Daisy to build the outbound railroad terminal at VW's auto assembly plant in Chattanooga.
City Engineer Bill Payne said the autos produced at the VW factory will go to the finished vehicle facility adjacent to the plant for shipment by rail or truck.
Officials have estimated that up to 80 percent of cars made at the plant will leave by rail rather than truck. State funds are paying for the work as part of the incentives used to woo VW to Chattanooga.
Jamie Thomas, general manager for Thomas Brothers, said the project will go on a 50-acre tract and have five components. He said there will a mass grading of the site involving the movement of about 180,000 cubic yards of dirt.
Also, storm drainage, paving, electrical and railroad work will take place, he said.
Mr. Thomas said the railroad part of the job isn't what Thomas Brothers normally does, but it will hire a subcontractor to lay down the tracks.
He expected there will be about 30 employees on site.
WHAT'S NEXT
Thomas Brothers Construction Co. plans to start work on the VW plant's rail loading yard within a month.
Mr. Thomas said he expects to start work in about three or four weeks and finish by Nov. 1.
The facility will tie into new rail lines put down by the Hamilton County Railroad Authority, which connect with both CSX and Norfolk Southern.
The $1 billion plant is expected to be ready to ship vehicles in the first part of 2011, according to VW.
Mike Pare, the deputy Business editor at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, has worked at the paper for 27 years. In addition to editing, Mike also writes Business stories and covers Volkswagen, economic development and manufacturing in Chattanooga and the surrounding area. In the past he also has covered higher education. Mike, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Florida Atlantic University. he worked at the Rome News-Tribune before ...
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