A press release from Union Pacific Railroad; September 29, 2017:
Drive down an interstate in Texas, Iowa, Oklahoma, California or Kansas, and you’re bound to spot them – giant wind turbines lined up like soldiers in perfect rows.
A wind turbine works the exact opposite of a household fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, turbines harness wind, turning a generator inside to create electricity. The power runs into the ground and is sent to a sub-station and, eventually, onto the power company’s grid.
Due to the components’ sheer size, they’re often transported by trucks sporting a “wide load” sign; however, there’s another more efficient, affordable option for moving components long distances. Union Pacific customers, in this case Vestas, the leading global wind turbine manufacturer, and its contractors load and secure the massive wind harvesting components onto rail cars. A typical blade is 177-feet – longer than the width of a football field – and many are even longer. Union Pacific and its logistics subsidiary, Union Pacific Distribution Services (UPDS), then transport the cars to a wind distribution center.
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