For the past 15 years, our Martinsburg Terminal has played a key role in liquid asphalt storage and distribution for Associated Asphalt. The search for a fifth liquid asphalt storage terminal began way back in 2003 when there was a need for more storage in the region. After exploring options in Manassas and Woodstock, Bill and other leaders reached out to Norfolk Southern (NS) for assistance, knowing the terminal location would need rail access. Thanks to their guidance, we set our sights on Martinsburg, the seat of Berkeley County, WVa.
An Undeveloped Rail Town
Martinsburg and Berkeley County have a long history with the railroad, welcoming Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad way back in 1842. The mainline ran through town and made Martinsburg a key resource for both armies in the Civil War. While the location was less developed than other terminals on our search, the rail service was still high quality and we had room to develop.
The railroad in Martinsburg is different from our other terminal locations because it is privately owned, rather than being part of NS or CSX. Forged over 100 years ago using mule-powered scoops, sledgehammers, and hand-held drills, it is currently part of the Winchester & Western Railroad (WW) and is referred to as the Winchester Mainline, running from Winchester to Hagerstown. The track also crosses through several NS and CSX interchanges, making it flexible for our transportation operations for Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia projects.
Associated Asphalt’s First Greenfield
Martinsburg is also Associated Asphalt’s first greenfield terminal. Originally an undeveloped site, this gave us the flexibility to engineer our asphalt terminal to meet our specific needs. Under the expertise of Sam Cannon, Vice President of Operations, the terminal was built custom to our needs, but not without challenges. The rocky geography of the location presented difficulties in the excavation of granite, not to mention the mountain weather.
We were proud to be able to benefit the local workforce with employees who have been there for over a decade, including David Norton, who recently got promoted from Terminal Manager to Regional Manager. Other than being one of the company’s most productive terminals from a sales volume perspective, they have done so very efficiently and safely. The long tenure of so many of the employees there and their continued commitment to each other and the company have created a shining example of how a terminal culture can be.
We look forward to supplying the region with high-quality asphalt materials for years to come! Learn more about what our Martinsburg Terminal can do for you by contacting a representative!