Columbia Basin Railroad donates 3 miles of rail for port project

The Port of Moses Lake in central Washington has accepted a 3-mile track donation from Columbia Basin Railroad to advance the port's northern Columbia Basin Railroad project. 

When completed, the project will connect via rail lines the Grant County International Airport and the Moses Lake Wheeling Industrial Corridor.

The donated segment of rail line is an existing but inactive line that will connect rail in the industrial corridor with a rail line to be built near the airport. The donation also includes an operating agreement between the port and the railroad, port officials said in a press release.

The project aims to restore rail service — which ended in 2009 — to connect Moses Lake, the airport and 1,250 acres of industrial land in the airport employment center. Columbia Basin Railroad will operate and maintain the rail line, the Columbia Basin Herald reported.

The purpose of the project is to support new and existing businesses and agricultural producers in central Washington, port officials said.