Rail Roundup: Pa. provides $26M for rail; RailState, Alterra news

Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads, and the state has roughly 5,600 miles of freight lines, according to a Dec. 14 release. 

The three projects that received the most funding were:

• RJ Corman Railroad — $3 million to rehabilitate approximately 24 miles of track with tie replacement and track surfacing.
• Country View Family Farms — $3 million to construct a 110-car capacity loop track and unloading equipment to provide new rail service to the feed mill.
• Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad — $2.6 million to rehabilitate approximately 20 miles of track with new ties and upgrade radio control switches.

Related links:

• Rail infrastructure projects get over $368M in federal grants

• Louisiana gives $3 million to 2 short-line railroad projects

RailState completes sensor coverage in Canada, eyes US implementation in 2023

RailState, a Quincy, Massachusetts-headquartered data visibility provider, has finished implementing its sensors across the rail network in Canada. The sensors now cover the networks of CN (NYSE: CNI) and Canadian Pacific (NYSE: CP).

“This marks a major step for RailState, as we can now see every train that travels along the CN and CP, allowing for overall network visibility. We’re excited to move forward with our U.S. coverage,” RailState CEO Jamie Heller said earlier this month.

The technology enables customers to see every train in near real time and provides data on volume, congestion, train priority and transit time on every rail segment in Canada, RailState said. This helps customers track their rail cars, and the visibility aids customers in avoiding problem areas on the network and plan shipments accordingly.

RailState is now eyeing the U.S. It expects to bring its technology to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, in January, with plans to implement the technology eastward.

The company describes its mission as providing “rail network transparency to all users so they choose rail first, benefiting both the supply chain and the environment. RailState’s unique data, produced from their sensor network utilizing AI, gives rail users the impartial insights they need to optimize their supply chain.”

Related links:

• Railinc, Commtrex partner on data visibility product

• Rail technology provider Telegraph secures $10M in Series A funding

Alterra acquires rail support infrastructure in multimillion deal for private client

Alterra IOS Manager, a Philadelphia-based industrial real estate services firm, has acquired a 14-property portfolio totalling $86 million across eight states.

Alterra acquired the assets on behalf of a private equity real estate client whose name wasn’t disclosed.

Bulk transportation provider Heniff Transportation Systems has been leasing the properties, which serve terminals, maintenance shops and transload facilities in outdoor storage markets in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama.

“Heniff sought a counterparty that provided certainty of execution to effectuate a strategic acquisition,” said founder and CEO Bob Heniff. Heniff Transportation provides cleaning and maintenance solutions for tanks, ISO container depots and rail transloads.

“In a market with interest rate fluctuations and volatility, it was imperative to work with a group that has full discretion over its capital and deal directly with the key decision makers to get to closing,” Heniff continued in a Friday release. “We look forward to expanding the Heniff and 

Alterra relationship as we continue to expand our network to better serve our customers.”

Alterra pointed to the properties’ locations as a positive asset: “These properties are critical infrastructure assets located in key logistics markets across the Central and Southeast U.S. We are excited to continue to grow the relationship with the entire Heniff Transportation Team as they continue to grow their business,” said Parker Pearson, Alterra IOS vice president. 

Related links:

• Auxo sees potential in integrating rail service offerings post-PSR

• VIP Rail and Procor Limited collaborate on railcar repair and cleaning services

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