CSX's industrial development efforts paid off in 2013

Last year, CSX Corp. worked with customers to develop 121 new or expanded facilities along its network or on connecting short lines.

The projects represent $3 billion in customer investments and more than 1,600 new jobs, and potentially will generate 151,000 carloads annually, CSX officials said in a press release.

Substantial increases in industrial development demand in 2013 were driven by ongoing economic expansion across the nation, especially in the energy, chemicals and agricultural markets, they said.

"The transformation in the energy sector is driving opportunities for new rail-served facilities serving the chemical and manufacturing sectors across the CSX network," said Clark Robertson, CSX's assistant vice president of regional development.

To encourage rail-oriented industrial development, CSX's "Select Site" program certifies properties expressly intended for manufacturing uses. The properties must meet rigorous criteria in order to increase development certainty, and reduce time and costs, CSX officials said.

Over the past five years, customers have invested more than $14 billion in rail-served facilities, generating more than 14,000 jobs at industrial plants, distribution centers and other facilities, they said.