CSS takes to the skies to market rail-served industrial sites

A Midwest short line thinks a drone’s-eye view will give potential rail shippers a fresh perspective on real estate development.

A new video showcases strategic industrial sites served by Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) in southeast Chicago and northwest Indiana – the third-largest economic region in the United States.

Using aerial drone images, the four-minute video highlights more than 1,600 acres of prime business development locations in what CSS describes as “one of the world’s most dynamic business markets.”

Chicago South Shore operates 182 miles of track connecting Chicago with South Bend, Ind. It is a subsidiary of Chicago-based Anacostia Rail Holdings.

Facilities and sites depicted in the video include:

• Illinois International Port District in Chicago;
• Properties adjacent to CSS tracks at Burnham rail yard in Hammond and Gary, Ind.;
• Available space near South Shore’s headquarters and shops in Michigan City, Ind.;
• Sites in La Porte, Ind., including the La Porte Space Center;
• 1,000 acres at the Kingsbury Industrial Park, and locations on the east end of the railroad at New Carlisle, Ind.

The video’s commanding view emphasizes South Shore’s unique status as an efficient Chicago-area link to not only the six largest Class I railroads in the U.S., but also key Interstate highways and regional waterways.

“The spectacular views of these properties really drive home South Shore’s advantage in offering great connections across all modes,” says CSS President Todd Bjornstad. “Our goal with the video is to show industrial developers and plant site locators the great advantages we offer in this region.”

In addition to an informative aerial tour, the video provides on-screen facts with such basic information as property dimensions, rail-yard capacity, highway access, and transload opportunities. Each site is indexed with an alphabetic designation, making it easy for viewers to find specific sites of interest.

“Our emphasis is always on the customer. That means quality service and reliable access to markets,” said ARH Chief Commercial Officer Eric Jakubowski. “The aerial perspective underscores the strategic advantage of our Chicago-area connections. We hope to share this with all of our railroad partners so that we can jointly market these available options.”

The video was produced by James Street Associates, a marketing communications firm based in Blue Island, Ill., specializing in supply chain, transportation, and logistics.

Anacostia said it plans to offer similar videos for four of its other railroads including Louisville & Indiana Railroad, New York & Atlantic Railway, Northern Lines Railway, and Pacific Harbor Line.