Patriot Rail adds rail capacity to Sacramento business park

Patriot Rail Services Co. LLC's recent investment in rail infrastructure in a California business park has increased rail capacity in the park by 40 percent, the company recently announced.

Patriot Rail made the investment through its Sacramento Valley Railroad (SAV), which serves tenants of the McClellan Business Park in Sacramento, Calif.

Since 2004, the SAV has provided all rail-car switching and other rail services on the 7 miles of rail line in the 3,000-acre business park. Patriot Rail recently added 2,600 linear feet of track to increase the park's rail capacity, as well as to allow for further growth of the tenant base of warehouse and logistics companies, according to a Patriot Rail press release.

"In addition to giving current customers the ability to increase shipments by rail, the expansion will allow shippers who previously relied on trucks, the chance to take advantage of the more economic mode of rail transportation," said Patriot Rail President and Chief Executive Officer John Fenton. "An additional positive consequence of the construction will be fewer trucks on local freeways resulting in less pollution in Northern California."

SAV handled a record-high number of rail cars for the park's customers, and that growth trend is expected to continue, said McClellan Park LLC President Larry Kelley.

"As a result of Patriot Rail’s investment, I feel the SAV and the business park are adequately prepared to handle any and all additional rail traffic generated by new and existing tenants," Kelley said.