Chicago South Shore acquires rail cars for steel coil shipments

Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) has purchased and accepted delivery of 100 new rail cars purpose-built for steel coil shipments, the railroad’s parent company Anacostia Rail Holdings announced yesterday.

The order was placed with The Greenbrier Cos. and National Steel Car, with each supplying 50 cars. The 48-foot, 115-ton capacity, transverse-style cars can each hold up to five steel coils. The cars are equipped with covers for all-weather transport, and their transverse troughs hold coils securely in place with no need for dunnage or blocking, according to an Anacostia press release.

The purchase brings the size of the CSS rail car fleet to nearly 700 cars. The order was the second time since 2007 that CSS has purchased coil steel cars to support CSS customers’ growth, said CSS President Todd Bjornstad.

“By adding these cars to our leased fleet, we have greater control of the equipment to support our customers with safer, more efficient, and greener rail shipping options,” he said.

CSS serves coil steel producers in the Midwest, including Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. at Burns Harbor, Indiana, and U.S. Steel’s Midwest plant in Portage, Indiana. The cars will transport shipments to locations across North American with ready interchange to all Class Is and other short lines and regionals. Anacostia provided funds for CSS to make the purchase; CSS is one of six railroads in the Anacostia U.S. network.