Rio Grande Pacific Corporation through its Rio Grande Pacific Group portfolio company Basin Railway Constructors, LLC (“BRC”) announced that it has selected the engineering and construction firms for the final engineering and construction of the Uinta Basin Railway, the 85-mile-long common-carrier railway that will provide the first-ever common-carrier railway service to northeastern Utah's Uinta Basin region. Construction and operation of the Uinta Basin Railway project was authorized by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on December 15, 2021. The railway will serve mineral, energy, agricultural, construction, and manufacturing industries in the Uinta Basin.

The railway project was initiated by the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, a political subdivision of the State of Utah, in 2018. The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation is an equity partner in the railway. Engineering and Construction firms that were selected are: AECOM will deliver final design of the railway exclusive of it tunnels.

AECOM is the No. 1 engineering firm worldwide (in terms of revenue) per Engineering News-Record (ENR). Skanska-WW Clyde Joint Venture will deliver construction of the railway exclusive of its tunnels.

Skanska is the No. 5 construction firm worldwide per ENR. WW Clyde is the largest locally owned heavy civil contractor in the state of Utah and has constructed a substantial portion of Utah's major transportation infrastructure since 1926.

Obayashi Corporation will deliver final design and construction of the railway's tunnels. Obayashi is the No. 15 construction firm worldwide per ENR and is globally recognized for tunneling expertise.

A key selection criterion for RGPC was the commitment of AECOM, Skanska-Clyde, and Obayashi to a tribal and local hiring preference, and to include within their teams to the greatest degree practical the construction and engineering firms located within the Uinta Basin and the counties of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition.