Port of Oakland welcomes first train to stop at new rail facility

The Port of Oakland last week marked the first train to use a new, $100-million near-dock rail facility at the port's Outer Harbor Intermodal Terminal.

The 100-car train carried agricultural products shipped by Archer Daniels Midland Co. from the Midwest. The cargo's ultimate destination is Asia, and was to be transferred from the rail cars directly into containers by port tenant Capital River Group, port officials said in a press release.

"The port envisioned a rail yard that would bring cargo through Oakland," said Port of Oakland Maritime Director John Driscoll. "This was made possible by maritime business partners such as Union Pacific Railroad and government funding partners."

Part of a phased rail expansion, the new tracks consist of five manifest yard tracks and eight support yard tracks. 

The rail yard was built using California state Trade Corridor Improvement Funds and federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants.