LYNDEN DEPLOYS 'BETTER MOUSETRAP'.

• Author: KANE, ROGER
• Position: Statistical Data Included

The Alaska Railroad gets faster, more efficient service with new barges.

Alaska Railbelt Marine, a Lynden Inc. subsidiary, made a big splash two years ago when it landed a 10-year contract with the Alaska Railroad to haul railcars between Seattle and Whittier. Not only did ARM's contract end a 35-year arrangement between Crowley Maritime Services and the Alaska Railroad, but it also makes the business of barging railcars to and from Alaska more efficient.

"The Lynden companies came up with a better mousetrap," said Steve Silverstein, senior director of marketing and statistics with the Alaska Railroad.

When ARM secured the contract with the Alaska Railroad, the company ordered three new state-of-the-art barges, which are really making waves.

Two of the three barges, the Anchorage Provider, launched Sept. 16, 2000, and Fairbanks Provider, launched Feb. 3, began making weekly runs between Seattle and Whittier March 1. The third barge, the Whittier Provider, will be launched this month. All three barges are roll on/roll off railcar barges. They are 420 feet long, 100 feet wide and 24 feet tall. They are each built to accommodate up to 48 railcars, breakbulk cargo and containers, and can each carry up to 13 million pounds of cargo.

New Barges Save Railroad Time, Money

Freight revenue for the railroad in 2000 was just under $70 million, about 74 percent of the railroad's annual revenue. Water service accounts for about 25 percent of the freight revenue. Typically, freight barged to Alaska is heavy, dense and of low-value per pound, according to the railroad's annual report.

Historically, Silverstein said water service has been costly for the railroad, but ARM's new barges are reducing those expenses.

Among the new barges' high-efficiency features are hydra-lift skegs that reduce towing resistance. Skegs on old barges were nothing more than two slabs of steel dragged astern, to aid steering. The skegs on the new barges resemble the wings of a tri-plane. The two sets of three narrow pieces of steel make the new barges easier to tow, Silverstein explained.

"These hyrda-lift skegs are actually a big change," Silverstein said.

The shape of the bows on the new barges also is different than on the older barges. The new bows are curved and are more similar to the bow of a ship than the traditional, nearly vertical, bow of older barges. The new bows also help the barges slip through the water more efficiently.

Because these barges are easier to pull...