TNW partners with Indiana port authority to expand rail service

TNW Logistics Services LLC is partnering with the Perry County Port Authority to expand economic development near the Tell City River Port on the Ohio River in southern Indiana, the company announced last week.

The venture marks TNW's entry into Indiana, according to a TNW press release.

The partnership will start by developing and enhancing rail activity, industrial park facilities and river port operations that the port authority manages in the Tell City area. Those facilities include the Hoosier Southern Railroad, Tell City River Port, Tell City Industrial Park, Santa Claus Industrial Park and thousands of acres of undeveloped land on and surrounding the river port.

The location, land availability and existing train and port operations is ideal for a transportation, operations and storage hub that connects the port to Norfolk Southern Railway at Lincoln City, Ind., TNW officials said. 

"This is a natural fit for the expertise TNW has gained while developing our rail and multimodal logistics centers in Texas," said TNW Corp. Chief Executive Officer Paul Treangen. "We are eager to increase business volume, create economic development opportunities and foster strong relationships with the shippers and local communities."

The port receives large barge traffic from the headwaters of the Ohio River, as well as the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. The facility contains nearly 38 acres of land with 3,300 square feet of Ohio River frontage. It also covers more than 3,500 feet of undeveloped river frontage. Two large warehouses that total more than 46,000 square feet for storage of bulk materials and 75,000 square feet of concrete and asphalt pads also are available.

TNW Logistics is a subsidiary of Dallas-based TNW Corp.

Meanwhile, TNW will receive GE Transportation's Fast Track Award next month for innovative use of GE's RailConnect 360 software to improve customer service and operating efficiency, TNW announced. TNW will receive the award at GE Transportation's annual Digital Solutions Client Conference in Orlando, Fla.

By increasing its use of the software platform in 2016, TNW increased customer convenience, rail-car operations and cost savings in its rail-car switching and scheduling programs, TNW officials said in a press release.