Calumet Intermodal Facility

Seeking to better serve their customers, the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) decided to reconstruct and significantly increase capacity at their Calumet Intermodal Facility in Chicago, IL.

Benesch prepared plans, specifications and construction documents, which included element removal, site grading and erosion control, pavement, gate facilities and tracks. Among the services provided, Benesch also performed a field survey to develop a base map for the entire existing facility and completed a geotechnical investigation. This allowed the development of a site grading plan to minimize excavation of the hard slag fill upgrade and sheet flow on the new pavement, reducing the necessary new drainage infrastructure.

The project required extensive coordination in order for existing operations to continue during construction. These areas included adequate gate inspection lanes, parking spots and roadways for facility operations, as well as ample track spots to allow for continuing train operations during construction.

Utilities buried underground proved to be challenging as some were not well located based on the existing mapping. Benesch retained an underground inspector in order to alleviate this unexpected challenge and proceed with site plans for utility relocation, including water, sanitary sewer and compressed air.