The newly expanded Morrow County Grain Growers Inc barge terminal at the Port of Morrow in Boardman, OR is relieving rail traffic that hauls grain from the Midwest to Portland, OR and Columbia River export terminals.
The facility unloaded its first Union Pacific shuttle train from the Midwest on March 4, thanks to $7.5 million investment by. MCGG and the port authority are 50-50 owners of the facility, which also got a $2.5 grant through Connect Oregon, an Oregon Department of Transportation program that supports state infrastructure upgrades.
According to MCGG General Manager Kevin Gray (541-989-8221), the expansion enables MCGG to unload 100- or 110-car shuttle trains on the Union Pacific or Canadian Pacific railroads.
A new receiving pit and leg can offload railcars at 60,000 bph. Then, a variety of commodities can be loaded onto barges using existing conveyors and barge-loading equipment. Expanded storage includes a 603,000-bushel Sukup Manufacturing Co. corrugated steel tank that is 105 feet in diameter and 102 feet tall at the peak.
Construction on the project began in March 2018 and was completed in December 2019. The contractor was The Haskins Company, Spokane, WA (509-535-2978).
To view a full-page slideshow of the project with photos by Bruce Selyem, click here → Morrow County Grain Growers Inc. Terminal Expansion.