Autonomous railcar builder signs short line operator

Intramotev, R.J. Corman sign commercial agreement

Intramotev TugVolt autonomous railcar. (Photo: Intramotev)

Intramotev, the builder of autonomous freight railcars, announced that it has signed short line operator  R. J. Corman Railroad Company as its latest customer.

The maker’s TugVolt railcars will be deployed in industrial switching operations on Corman’s Memphis Line, a 113-mile railroad with 30 customers connecting Kentucky and Tennessee.

R. J. Corman operates 19 short line railroads in 11 states and connects with all major North American railroads.

“We strive to be the best service provider to our customers by continuously improving rail operations to be as safe and efficient as possible. Deploying Intramotev’s TugVolt railcars is a direct investment in that commitment,” said Justin Broyles, president and chief executive of R. J. Corman Railroad Group, in the announcement. “We’re looking forward to putting their technology to work.” 

Corman joins short line operator Watco, which St. Louis-based Intramotev signed earlier this year. Mine operator Carmeuse Americas was the company’s initial customer.

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Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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Stuart Chirls

Stuart Chirls is a journalist who has covered the full breadth of railroads, intermodal, container shipping, ports, supply chain and logistics for Railway Age, the Journal of Commerce and IANA. He has also staffed at S&P, McGraw-Hill, United Business Media, Advance Media, Tribune Co., The New York Times Co., and worked in supply chain with BASF, the world's largest chemical producer. Reach him at stuartchirls@firecrown.com.