Rock Island and Kansas City Southern restore rail service to Bernard Bayou industrial park

Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
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The Rock Island Railroad is restoring service to the Bernard Bayou industrial district.
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad

Although it's a different company and a short line now, the grand old name of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad is associated with news headlines.

The Harrison County Development Commission (HCDC) and the Harrison County Board of Supervisors are pleased to announce that The Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad LLC based in Hernando, Mississippi will begin operation of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad along the Seaway lead in the Bernard Bayou industrial park. This restored rail line in partnership with the Kansas City Southern railroad will restore service to the tenants in the industrial park that has been missing for over 5 years. The Rock will serve existing business and together with HCDC will work on business recruiting efforts to attract more rail customers to the area.

Bill Lavers, Executive Director of the HCDC, said “The rail has been out for 5 years and we have been working extremely hard for the last 3.5 years to find a partner willing and able to restore the service and add value for our customers. Robert Riley and his team have provided a great solution for us. We are excited to bring this benefit back to all the tenants of the park.”

Robert Riley, CEO of The Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, LLC, said “We are excited about the huge opportunity in Harrison County. It has taken a lot of work to formulate the agreements and relationships needed to restore this service. Our core customer service values and determination are going to bring a new level of service to the area. We look forward to working with the existing businesses and helping to recruit new opportunities to Harrison County.”

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