Prairie State Energy Mining and Power Facility
- Constructed a 5.5 mile lead track with WYE connection to CN main line
- Built, installed, tested and commissioned four railroad crossings
- Built three railroad bridges totaling 1,200 track feet
The Prairie State Energy Campus (PSEC) is a coal-fired generating plant and adjacent underground coal mine about 50 miles southeast of downtown St. Louis.
RailWorks served as the general contractor through all phases of the $4.6 billion project. RailWorks performed the track work, railroad crossing and signal construction, furnishing all track materials, and managing the subcontractors performing the earthwork and bridge construction. Track work included constructing a total of 52,000 feet of new track, including a double-loop at the plant site’s four railroad crossings, and three railroad bridges.
Phase I
In this year-long phase, RailWorks managed subcontractors Illinois Excavators and St. Louis Bridge Company to perform the earthwork and construct three bridges necessary for a new rail connection between CN's main line and the plant site. In addition to installing the decking on the bridges, RailWorks constructed the new 2,100-foot spur, the 5.5-mile lead track to connect with CN's main line and four highway grade crossings within the campus. After the grade crossing construction, RailWorks Signals & Communications installed, tested and commissioned the four mechanized signal systems at the crossings.
Phase II
RailWorks began constructing the track infrastructure at the plant. With a multi-faceted subgrade, construction of the 18,350-foot, double-loop track with 11 #10 turnouts was particularly challenging over the course of another 12 months. RailWorks constructed the first half of the double-loop track then ceased work while construction of other facilities progressed.
Phase III
RailWorks resumed work and completed the double-loop track in about four months. This track structure accommodates continuous delivery of unit trains to and from the facility.
A project of this size and complexity required extensive project management capabilities. RailWorks drew upon these capabilities to manage all phases of the project to ensure the multi-disciplined work was completed on time and to required specifications.
