RailAmerica delivers express fruit

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Sept. 18, 2001) — In a joint effort between RailAmerica’s Cascade & Columbia River Railroad, Amtrak, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, Washington State Department of Transportation, ExpressTrak, and Washington State fruit growers, a new rail freight service named “Washington Fruit Express” was launched this past week.

The project, which has been in the works for the past five years, will transport Washington State fruit to east coast markets in refrigerated ExpressTrak rail cars attached to Amtrak passenger trains. Amtrak passenger trains can handle as many as six of the freight cars per trip.

The market is a niche long held by the trucking industry. The railroads say this new service opens new markets to Washington State growers, relieves a shortage of long-haul trucks, saves fuel, reduces pollution, and lowers highway maintenance costs. The railroads also claim the new service, which is expected to take about five days, is comparable in speed and price to truck transport.

“Traditionally, this product was moved by truck due to time sensitivity, but this solution allows rail to be highly competitive with trucks,” RailAmerica’s chairman, president and CEO, Gary O. Marino said in a press release. “This project is just one example of how our family of short line railroads is working closely with customers to find innovative ways to provide superior rail service, increase revenues and enhance shareholder value.”