East Chicago Rail Terminal completes trackwork, couples with trucking firm
9/7/2023
By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
East Chicago Rail Terminal LLC (ERRT) recently completed the third phase of a track expansion project.
The work included adding track and lengthening a lead for a major chemical manufacturer so the undisclosed shipper could become an ERRT customer.
The short line — which operates with sister company East Chicago Transload LLC (ECT) — provides daily service to its customers, with an option to receive multiple switches per day. In addition to transportation, ERRT provides long-term rail-car storage and car inspection/repair services.
“The completion of the track expansion is aimed at improving a major chemical manufacturer’s rail-car unloading and product blending throughput,” said ERRT and ECT General Manager Alex Engelke in an email.
The chemical manufacturer will gain a 30% boost in throughput because of the project, he added.
“Solving customer problems safely and offering win-win solutions is what our team does,” said Engelke. “By providing daily switching services, our customers can add throughput without the need for additional capital equipment or non-rail storage.”
The short line operates a facility in East Chicago, Indiana, that can store 200 rail cars and transload 60 cars. East Chicago Rail Terminal LLC ERRT’s goal is to eliminate the railroad as a chokepoint or point of failure in a customer’s supply chain. The new business with the chemical manufacturer will generate 600 to 800 additional rail cars per year, Engelke estimates.
An independently owned and operated short line, ERRT now is two years old. The short line is directly served by Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co. and accesses BNSF Railway Co., Canadian Pacific Kansas City, CN, CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.
ERRT’s facility in East Chicago, Indiana — which can store 200 cars and transload 60 cars — is near Interstate 90, Indiana Route 912 and U.S. Highway 12.
Meanwhile, ERRT and ECT recently partnered with trucking firm Oak Management LLC to provide multimodal transportation and logistics services. The partnership took effect on Sept. 1.
The services combine Oak Management’s flatbed trucking expertise with ECRT’s rail and transload capabilities.
“By teaming up with [ERRT], who are becoming a key player in the rail transport sector, we aim to amplify our capabilities and deliver unmatched transportation solutions to valued customers,” Oak Management officials said in a press release.