OMAHA, Neb. – Union Pacific Railroad today will launch the first of seven special trains carrying giant wind turbine blades along with electrical equipment from Houston, Texas, to Sacramento, Calif.
The wind turbine parts, including the 135-foot blades, will move in seven ships from Denmark to the Port of Houston. They will be loaded on special rail cars along with buffer cars on each end to accommodate the overhang of the blades.
The colorful red and yellow trains will run from Houston to California via Union Pacific’s “Sunset Route” through El Paso, Texas; Tucson, Ariz.; Colton, Calif.; Tehachapi Pass, Calif., and on to Sacramento.
The trains, approximately 50 cars long, will carry enough material for 81 wind turbines to be installed near Sacramento. The turbine towers will be 200 feet tall. They will have the capacity to generate enough electricity for about 45,000 homes.
The final train is expected to run in early May.
The turbines are manufactured by Vestas Wind Systems A/S of Denmark and imported by Vestas American Wind Technology Inc. of Portland, Ore.
