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Jed Boal ReportingMost of us never really see how the things we buy get from one point of the globe to our neighborhood stores. There's a new rail freight facility on the west side of Salt Lake City that will enable that flow of goods to keep expanding.
This transfer operation goes on 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the new Union Pacific Railroad intermodal terminal on the west side of Salt Lake City. Rail freight has come a long way from the boxcars of the 40's and 50's. The shipping container moves from train to truck without repacking the container.
Intermodal shipping means moving freight by more than one mode of transportation. It helps solve a big problem.
Bob Turner, Union Pacific Senior Vice President: "The capacity to move freight is full. The rail lines are busier than they've ever been. The highways are congested. World trade is growing, we need to do something."
This kind of shipping is the fastest growing component of the freight industry, and a key component of global trade. The containers are packed possibly in the Pacific Rim, and not unloaded until they reach their final destination.
There has been double-digit growth during the last four years in intermodal shipping. It moves a big part of the global supply chain for electronics, clothing, autoparts, you name it. Union Pacific outgrew its facility on Beck Street. The new space doubles the capacity.
UTA's needs for commuter rail on the main corridor helped fuel the move.
John Inglish, UTA General Manager: "This sets Salt Lake City up for a century to come in terms of transportation infrastructure."
Union Pacific and community leaders believe this 83-million dollar 260-acre facility is a magnet for economic development. Efficient shipping will help lure business to the Wasatch Front, another engine for the economy.
