Rail Industry Specialist, Inc. (RIS) was proud to support Sandersville Railroad in the addition of 125 newly built woodchip railcars to its growing fleet.

Built by FreightCar America, the new 100-ton steel BethGon woodchip cars provide 8,200 cubic feet of capacity and are rated for a 286,000-lb. gross rail load. Designed for rotary dump service, the railcars also feature a Williams Hayward protective coating engineered for long-term durability.

RIS’s Michael McGee worked alongside Sandersville Railroad and other project partners to help oversee the program and ensure the new railcars were built to the required quality and performance standards.

The addition brings Sandersville Railroad’s woodchip fleet to 400 railcars, providing increased capacity for its customers in Sandersville as well as additional cars available for lease.

A Collaborative Railcar Build Program

Successful new railcar programs require coordination between the railroad, engineering team, manufacturer, inspectors, and other project partners. RIS was pleased to work alongside Bryan Nutt of TNC Rail Engineering, Bob Cleator, Senior Vice President of Sales at FreightCar America, and Bill and Michael Delgado of ProRail Inspections in supporting the successful completion of the program.

The Sandersville Railroad project is another example of RIS’s experience supporting new railcar programs—from planning and engineering coordination through manufacturing oversight, quality management, inspection, and final delivery.