SANTA MARIA, Calif. – OmniTRAX has entered into a joint venture for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, which becomes the short line holding company’s 29th rail operation.
Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the SMV provides Central Coast Valley commercial and agricultural customers a connection to Union Pacific. The acquisition is a joint venture partnership with Coast Belle Rail Corp., the local operator of the railroad since 2006.
“The Santa Maria Railroad plays a critical role in California’s supply chains and this acquisition is another key step in the expansion of the OmniTRAX Rail Network,” OmniTRAX Executive Vice President Nathan Brown said in a statement today. “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.”
The 114-year-old SMV operates 14.7 miles of main line track interchanging with the Union Pacific in Guadalupe. Numerous sidings and spurs along the line support future growth capacity. For freight customers without direct rail access, transload facilities are available at the Osburn Rail Yard in Santa Maria.
“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,” said Santa Maria Valley Railroad President Rob Himoto. “Our shared cultural values with The Broe Group’s multi-generational ownership are not only the basis of a strong partnership, they are a fitting tribute to the dedicated families that have built the Santa Maria Railroad’s wonderful legacy of service.”
OmniTRAX operates 29 railroads, serving ports and industrial parks across the country. By combining rail and real estate expertise, OmniTRAX continues to power major industrial hubs from California to Georgia.
As one of the largest privately owned railroad companies in the United States, OmniTRAX knows its job well and does it well.
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