Tropicana plans to enhance the backhaul service for its orange juice trains. This is from the Bradenton (FL) Herald:
Tropicana plans to build more railroad tracks
SARA KENNEDY
Herald Staff Writer
Tropicana Products Inc. wants to build additional railroad tracks and a covered loading dock for a warehouse on its property because its shipping service is growing.
The company plans to build approximately 1,150 feet of railroad track known as a spur and an 8,600-square-foot covered off-loading dock, according to the Manatee County Planning Department.
The company ships huge quantities of fresh juice to the rest of the nation and, rather than allowing its railcars to return empty, it operates a backhaul service to ship goods from other companies on the return trips. Tropicana’s refrigerated railcars carry goods like ketchup, carrots and other food products destined for restaurant chains.
“The additional railroad tracks and dock will add in increasing the capabilities and efficiency of the Tropicana train and the train backhaul services,” explained Karen May, Tropicana’s manager of public relations. “Specifically, the additional track and dock infrastructure will facilitate the growth of the backhaul process.”
The company currently uses the same docks for both outbound and inbound services. “The additional dock and track will help us increase efficiency and expand backhaul capabilities,” she said.
As part of the project, plans call for an existing pond to be re-configured and a new stormwater lake dug, documents show. The company plans to fill a man-made retention pond in order to build the single railroad spur through it, officials said.
Because the company wants to remove trees, it has proposed planting 18 oak trees when its construction is finished on the 3.13 acres located at 1511 Ninth St. E.
The company hopes to finish cons
