Report: ABS Boosting Yard Capacity in Tuscaloosa

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor, Railway Age
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Alabama Southern Railroad (ABS), a Watco subsidiary, is investing nearly $10 million to build a second rail yard in Tuscaloosa, Ala., according to a May 18 report in the Tuscaloosa Thread.

The new facility, to be built at the Airport Industrial Park north of Black Warrior River, will boost capacity for the 97.42-mile short line, whose existing Tuscaloosa yard is located downtown.

Construction is slated to start this summer, according to the Tuscaloosa Thread, a Townsquare Media website. The Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority approved a tax abatement for the railroad “to incentivize the new development—standard practice for the organization,” the news outlet reported. “That amount is estimated around $535,125, which is expected to be offset by the spending of the workers who fill jobs created at the new yard.”

ABS’s primarily handles commodities for the energy, steel, paper, roofing, grain and chemical industries. It interchanges with Norfolk Southern in Tuscaloosa; CSX at Brookwood, Ala.; and Canadian Pacific Kansas City at Artesia, Miss.  

“We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our rail footprint in Tuscaloosa, which will provide critical capacity to meet the growing demands of our existing customer base and facilitate future growth opportunities,” said ABS Sales Director Cody Gilliland, according to the Tuscaloosa Thread. “This additional infrastructure investment underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional rail service quality and customer satisfaction. By enhancing rail service fluidity, our customers will benefit from greater efficiency and reliability while decreasing congestion in west Tuscaloosa.”

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