Oklahoma is Right as Grain

A new automated grain facility, the Chisholm Trail Terminal, is expected to shuttle Oklahoma wheat deliveries to export markets faster than ever – helping fulfill demand for the commodity across the nation and overseas.

Grain exporters in the U.S. depend on rail and barge transportation to deliver wheat to export markets. Located near Medford, the Chisholm Trail Terminal moves grain in a more efficient way. The terminal is owned by a limited liability company formed by the Farmers Grain Company, Equity Marketing Alliance and CoMark Grain Marketing.

“The real benefit of the terminal is that we will be able to capture those efficiencies in grain margins and return that value to our owners,” says Kent Prickett, CEO of Farmers Grain Company. Prickett is not aware of any other automated grain facilities in the state.

Bins and bunkers at the Chisholm Trail Terminal hold up to 5 million bushels of wheat, which equals more than a dozen 110-car rail loads. The terminal is adjacent to the Union Pacific rail line that runs to the Gulf of Mexico.

“We installed a little over 10,000 feet of loop track from the Union Pacific Line to accommodate train sizes up to 130 cars,” says Farmers Grain’s Montie Walton, who managed project construction.

That continuous loop track lets trains move through without splitting up – or breaking – cars, which saves time. Time preservation is vital to meet transport and grain exporter demands. Fast, guaranteed loading times help railroads maximize line usage. Rail operators, such as Union Pacific, provide incentives for shuttle grain terminals to load trains within certain time constraints.