Federated Railways acquires Cold Train intermodal service

Federated Railways Inc. yesterday announced it entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Rail Logistics L.C., including its Cold Train express intermodal service in the Pacific Northwest.

A Federated Capital Corp. affiliate, Federated Railways plans to rename the service Federated Cold Train L.L.C. and conduct business as Cold Train. Rail Logistics will maintain its current management team and staff, including President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Lawson, and retain its headquarters in Overland Park, Kan.

Federated Capital also owns the Great Lakes Central Railroad Inc., a 400-mile regional operating in Michigan, and Federated Railcar Inc., which owns a fleet of refurbished passenger cars. The addition of the Cold Train will enable the company to provide "a wide variety of freight transportation options" for shippers, growers, producers, packers, food processors and retailers, including domestic intermodal services, Federated Capital officials said in a press release.

"This is important, as many shippers and receivers are looking for door-to-door intermodal logistics solutions that decrease cost, increase efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint," said Federated Capital President Louis Ferris.

In April 2010, Rail Logistics launched the Cold Train in partnership with BNSF Railway Co. at the Port of Quincy, Wash. Trains travel between the port and points in the Midwest and along the East Coast. More recently, a similar service was launched from Portland, Ore.

Federated Capital plans to add a minimum of 1,000 containers to Cold Train's fleet over the next five years, increasing the total fleet to 1,400 containers, said Ferris.