United Rail acquires New England Southern Railroad

United Rail Inc. has acquired the New England Southern Railroad (NES) in Concord, New Hampshire.

United Rail, a short line consolidator and owner of the SmartRail brand for electronic precision railroading and brand licensor, announced the acquisition today.

"Our plan is to consolidate the smaller and sometimes overlooked short lines and consolidate them under the United Rail banner," said United Rail Chief Executive Officer Michael Barron in a press release.

The acquisition of NES fits United Rail's plan to "aggressively" grow in other markets, he added.

"With the inclusion of NES under the United Rail umbrella, we now have a presence in the Northeast, an area where we feel there are great growth opportunities," Barron said.

A short line operator, NES provides rail transportation services such as transloading, private industrial rail-car switching and rail-car storage. The company leases and operates 22 miles of rail line in the Concord area.

Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.