Fryburg Rail Loading Facility

Fryburg Rail Loading Facility

Oct 22, 2024 | From the Archives

The Fryburg Rail Loading Facility project, spanning 330 acres and designed for an 18-car rail for the Bakken Link Pipeline, was awarded to Baranko Brothers in 2012, with construction starting that same year. The contract required us to use GPS and machine control systems in our work, which at that time, was a groundbreaking move for our company.

Looking back, the Fryburg Rail Facility was the project that forever changed how Baranko Brothers, Inc. utilized technology. It was the first time we leveraged GPS and Machine Control, and it marked the beginning of our implementation of HCSS HeavyJob. It was also the first time we introduced laptops into the field, setting a new standard for how we operate. Everything else we utilize today fell into place over time, but this is where I believe our technology journey truly kicked off.

Jordan Kessel, Business Systems Manager

Our initial exploration of this “new” technology began with the GP872 John Deere Motor Grader, equipped with the Topcon 3D-MC system—the first mastless motor grader featuring SmartGrade integration. Check out the video below to see how we utilized this equipment for the project—and to see just how young our employees were back then!

Embracing this technology not only improved our efficiency but also enabled us to implement a fully digital system for tracking time and field reporting. This transition helped us streamline our operations and manage projects more effectively, resulting in fewer errors, quicker communication, and a smoother overall process.

 

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As an added bonus, RDO Equipment Co. created a video in 2019 that showcases our dedication to leveraging technology in construction. This video highlights our journey as early adopters and the advantages it brought to our work.