Ribbon cut on railcar holding yard at Crane Army Ammunition Activity
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Crane Army Ammunition Activity in Martin County, one of the largest ammunition depots in the U.S. Army, has opened a new railcar holding yard that is expected to boost safety and efficiency.
The holding yard includes an additional 11,000 linear feet of track and the ability to now manage 1 million pounds of explosive materials, according to a news release from Crane.
Crane Army Ammunition Activity manages outgoing munitions as well as the disposition of excess and unserviceable munitions, a process described as its retrograde mission. The new holding yard provides the additional space and resources needed to better sort and inventory retrograde munitions.
“The addition of the new rail holding yard at Crane allows for additional flexibility in railroad operations by being able to execute multiple retrograde missions, plan and execute multiple shipping missions or plan and execute both types of missions simultaneously,” railroad operations supervisor Robert England said in the release. “The added net explosive weight holding area also allows railroad operations to complete work in a safe and efficient manner without the excessive handling of railcars loaded with explosives.”
The ammunition depot during times of heavy demand had been relocating munitions across multiple holding facilities throughout the military installation, which required additional labor and heightened risk.
The new yard addresses those shortcomings.
“This initiative allowed us to prioritize our critical capabilities,” Col. Franyate Taylor, the depot’s commander, said. “We are protecting employees, increasing effectiveness, and saving taxpayer dollars.”
Crane Army Ammunition Activity is part of the Joint Munitions Command, which was established in 1977 and is located on Naval Support Activity Crane, about 90 miles southwest of Indianapolis.
The new rail yard investment is part of a 15-year, $18.1 billion base modernization plan of the U.S. Army.