Rail Roundup: OmniTRAX, G&W Develop, Expand Partnerships

Shortline operator OmniTRAX is working with the River Ridge Development Authority of southern Indiana to develop the River Ridge Commerce Center.

The center, located near Louisville, Kentucky, where it has access to several transportation modes. It connects directly with CSX CSX and is in close proximity to I-64, I-65, I-71, the Louisville International Airport, the Ohio River and the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville. Manufacturing and distribution companies already at the center include Amazon, A&R Logistics, GE Appliances, Medline and BOSE. The center also is "uniquely positioned" to support the region's auto industry sector, OmniTRAX said.

"OmniTRAX is a well-respected and well-resourced transportation company that brings a unique combination of rail, supply chain and logistics expertise, decades of real estate development success and a national network that can serve the growing community needs and help River Ridge realize its full potential," said Jerry Acy, the River Ridge Development Authority's executive director.

OmniTRAX said the River Ridge agreement connects existing customers and new prospects with a strategic centralized hub that offers excellent supply chain efficiencies to serve the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast markets.

"CSX is focused on delivering efficient and reliable rail service across our far-reaching network to help customers cultivate and grow their businesses," said CSX Senior Vice President of Marketing Farrukh Bezar. "We look forward to the opportunities the new partnership will present for existing and prospective rail customers to connect to a larger network and new markets."

OmniTRAX is a part of The Broe Group, an infrastructure investment firm based in Denver.

Genesee & Wyoming Expans Rail Services Agreement With Georgia Ports Authority

The Savannah Port Terminal Railroad (SAPT), an affiliate of short line operator Genesee & Wyoming (G&W), will include service to the Georgia Ports Authority's Mason Mega Rail Terminal serving the Port of Savannah.

The service will be folded into the long-term rail services agreement that SAPT has with the port authority.

Rail container capacity at the Port of Savannah is expected to double to 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) once the Mason Mega Rail project is completed this year.

SAPT was founded by G&W in 1998 and provides rail intermodal and merchandise service, railcar switching and yardmaster services to the port. It operates over 18 track miles inside the port. An additional 15 track miles will serve the Mega Rail Terminal, which G&W says will have the ability to build and service six 10,000-foot trains simultaneously and cut transit times to the Midwest by 24 hours.

SAPT interchanges with CSX and Norfolk Southern NSC.

G&W owns or leases 116 freight railroads. The company serves 42 states and four Canadian provinces, and it has operations in the U.K. and in continental Europe.

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