For first time since 1998, LA-Long Beach ports bid harbor rail services

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are now accepting proposals from prospective operators of the shortline railroad serving the largest U.S. container gateway.

Pacific Harbor Line has provided the service since 1998, the last time the contract was put out for bid. While the two ports are administered by the harbor departments of their respective cities, a single shortline network serves both ports. The operator selected will have to enter into separate operating agreements with each port; those agreements have different requirements.

The hubs handled almost 20 million containers in 2024 and have a goal of moving 35% of containers away from the facilities by train under a Clean Air Action Plan.

Proposals are due July 28 at 5 p.m. The request for proposals is available here.

Under the current contract, Pacific Harbor Line, an Anacostia Rail Holdings railroad, operates 19 route miles and 96 track miles, providing neutral service to Class I railroads BNSF and Union Pacific, nine intermodal terminals, and a number of carload customers in and around the two ports. It moves approximately 40,000 carloads with some 190 employees and a fleet of 25 locomotives.

One of the possible bidders listed in the RFP is Alameda Belt Line, a joint venture of BNSF and Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) set up to dispatch intermodal trains on the Alameda Corridor into and out of the port complex.

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