Short line opens machinery distribution hub
Written by Douglas John BowenGreenville, S.C.-based Greenville & Western Railway Co. (GRLW) has opened its Big Creek Machinery Distribution Hub, located in Williamston, S.C., President and CEO Steven C. Hawkins says.
The short line, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corp., has partnered with CSX Transportation, BNSF Railway, and BNSF Logistics to offer “a customizable turnkey solution for heavy machinery manufacturers and dealers to move their equipment door to door from origin point of import/manufacture in the Southeastern United States to destination point of export/domestic distribution anywhere on the North American rail network.”
The facility also provides more than three acres of on-site storage/staging in a secure, well-lit environment “not just for finished machinery, but also large components such as buckets and beds and other optional machinery implements and accessories,” GRLW says.
“We are excited to offer the heavy machinery market a rail transportation solution that can provide a 25%-to-30% cost savings over truck,” said Hawkins. “We look forward to working with our marketing partners to grow the business and expand the scope of services offered as we develop the site. Opening this facility creates two immediate job opportunities for the Williamston community.”
Greenville & Western, which began operations in 2006, was named the Railway Age 2010 Short Line of the Year.
