03/09/2026
Last week, we loaded our first wind turbine blade train in Newton, IA.
Personally, I am very, very proud of this milestone. This site was originally loading blades in 2016 & 2017, as I was coming to BNSF Logistics from BNSF Railway. I worked with GE, IAIS, the former TTS & the late Scott Landrum to help get these on BNSF Railway, then once I was at BNSF Logistics, we were operating for our friends at UPDS (now Loup). Over the next 8 or so years, I worked closely with both GE & IAIS to look for opportunities to develop this site for blade transloading. IAIS, on their end, realigned bridges, applied for CRISI funding, invested in infrastructure, and worked with GE on-site designs. When I was let go from BNSF Logistics, IAIS was one of the first to call, and this project was forefront in their minds. IAIS wanted to make the statement that they wanted to be THE solution for the wind energy industry in the Midwest. They believed that their railroad was best suited to meet customer’s needs – and they were right. The RDC board saw the vision as well, and they trusted me to sell the site. Site planning, groundbreaking, press releases, marketing materials, selling, selling, selling… we got our first wind project last fall with towers that were trucked in, but after just over 2 years since I started, we have our first train loaded & departed.
It took literally every department at IAIS to make this happen. I am so incredibly happy to work for this company and with these people.
I wasn’t able to be there for the first departure – my sister was getting married, and family will always come first for me. My kids and I had a wonderful time celebrating with her and our family, and then on Friday night after this train was interchanged, I shared the news quietly with my kids. They have seen me working on this. They know how much I’ve put into this, and they have sacrificed too, with my travel and long hours.
Celebrations are short-lived – it’s time to solve the next miracle and work on the next opportunity!
