South Shore expands railcar storage options

Written by Stuart Chirls, senior editor, Railway Age
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Map: Anacostia Holdings

Short line Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) is offering expanded capacity for railcar storage.  

 

The carrier, a unit of Anacostia Holdings and headquartered in Michigan City, Ind., said railroad customers needing to store empty or loaded freight cars can take advantage of new railcar storage opportunities, part of the railroad’s ongoing, increased service offerings.

The initiative is the result of new investments in track capacity and will help third-party, off-line customers that require short- and long-term storage of railcars. For on-line customers, CSS continues to offer a separate, existing storage program.

The new program, in effect since January, leverages South Shore’s connectivity across the spectrum of Chicago-area railroads, which includes interchange with six Class I carriers and several regional and switching railroads.

“The need for railcar storage capacity located close to Chicago fluctuates based on ebbs and flows of storage space in the industry,” says CSS President Todd Bjornstad. “We are offering this because we believe South Shore’s easy access to multiple Chicago railroads gives third-party customers a chance to take advantage of our strategic location.”

Under the program, CSS offers interchange service daily except Saturday. The railroad offers short- or long-term rates – daily, weekly, monthly, or annually – based on how long cars might sit in storage.

Customers require temporary car storage for a variety of reasons, Bjornstad explains. “In some cases, car-leasing companies have equipment coming off lease for which new lessees have not been secured. Or, some customer-owned fleets might require off-site storage during a plant’s scheduled maintenance outage.”

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