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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

New $3.3 Million Railroad Facility Serving Energy Producers in NW Louisiana to Create Jobs

09/27/2011
Patriot Rail's new project providing cost-efficient connections for the Northwest Louisiana energy producers is expected to create jobs and business opportunities in the region. The company is investing $3.3 million in new tracks, equipment and a transloading facility opening October 5 under its Louisiana and North West Railroad (L&NW) brand.

Patriot Rail is a short line and regional freight railroad holding firm based in Boca Raton, Florida. For the past year, it has been developing the Iron Bridge Road project, a 40-acre transloading facility Gibsland, LA, that makes it easy for energy-producing firms to transfer bulk cargo from rail to trucks.

With the opening of the new facility, L&NW's General Manager Johnnie Raab said he expects L&NW's service to quickly grow to over 5,000 carloads in the first year of operation, with each rail car the equivalent of four trucks. "We are negotiating for an additional 100 acres, allowing us to accommodate additional customers and design the yard for maximum efficiency."

Raab added that L&NW will be hiring new crews, maintenance workers, office personnel and security professionals, while its customers will be adding new operational positions in the Iron Bridge Road yard. "We expect to bring a substantial number of new jobs to Gibsland in the next year," he said. "That's just the tip of the iceberg once things really get rolling."

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