2018's top stories: Endicott ups grain loading capacity

The grain storing and loading facility at Endicott was expanded this year with new rail, loading equipment and new grain elevators that include seven new shipping tanks and a half-million-bushel tank. The addition will bring the total storage on-site to more than three million bushels.

The new rail and expansion of the existing facility is to accommodate 110-car unit trains.

The larger train units are expected to reduce shipping rates.

The railroad installed a mile-long ladder track which is designed to be able to break up the cars into smaller sections. The rail spur will assist in loading unit trains at Endicott.

The legislature passed a $1 million budget line item for Washington Department of Transportation to install the new track.

The new track goes from the grain loading facilities east almost as far as Repp Road. The work was started in the spring. The new track was done with a heavier rail just south of the existing track.

They hope to be operational by the first part of February.