Rail management company OmniTRAX has expanded its operations by entering into a joint venture (JV) with Coast Belle Rail for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad in California, US.
The partnership aims to enhance freight logistics in the region by leveraging OmniTRAX’s rail and real estate expertise.
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The Santa Maria Valley Railroad is on California’s Central Coast, 250 miles south of San Francisco and 175 miles north of Los Angeles.
The railroad, spanning 14.7 miles of main line track, interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad in Guadalupe and serves a variety of commercial and commodity customers in the Santa Maria Valley.
The Santa Maria Valley Railroad, which has been under the local ownership of Coast Belle Rail since 2006, is now the 29th rail operation in the OmniTRAX national rail network.
Located strategically between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the railroad plays a crucial role in connecting Central Coast Valley’s commercial and agricultural customers to coastal ports and the North American Rail Freight Network.
OmniTRAX executive vice president Nathan Brown said: “Our agreement with Coast Belle Rail Corporation marks our first rail joint venture acquisition. As a multi-generational, privately held company, OmniTRAX has the capacity to create deal structures like this that can preserve the benefits of local involvement and knowledge.”
With numerous sidings and spurs, the Santa Maria Valley Railroad is suitable for future expansion and increased capacity. For customers lacking direct rail access, the Osburn Rail Yard in Santa Maria offers transload facilities.
Santa Maria Valley Railroad president Rob Himoto said: “The Santa Maria Railroad has been vital to the valley for decades and this new partnership adds the resources, relationships, and real estate development capacities to ensure that this century-old railroad continues to serve Californians for generations to come.”
In November 2024, OmniTRAX was selected as the exclusive switching partner for P&G’s Lima, Ohio, factory.
