Ports of Indiana has opened the Mount Vernon Railroad today, creating an unparalleled “mega-modal” opportunity for Southwest Indiana.

The railroad is a partnership between OmniTRAX – the nation’s largest privately-held, family-owned rail transportation company – and Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon – the state’s largest port.

Owned by Ports of Indiana and operated by OmniTRAX, Mount Vernon Railroad serves as the switching carrier for the Mount Vernon port. The port handles an average of 25,000 railcars annually and is home to a 500-acre site targeted for large-scale multimodal development. The port is currently investing $25 million to support steel, automotive, plastics, energy, and heavy industrial growth, and attract large multimodal industries that rely on barge and rail transportation.

The port’s site combines access to four Class I railroads, the largest inland port district in the U.S. by tonnage, and OmniTRAX’s robust economic development resources as part of The Broe Group, a private, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure company with diversified holdings throughout 41 North American states and provinces. Denver-based OmniTRAX operates a total of 29 industrial railroads across the U.S. and Canada, along with 52 transload facilities and five industrial parks.

OmniTRAX Chief Commercial Officer Ryan Higgins said: “Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon is a hidden gem that provides unparalleled access to America’s agricultural and industrial heartland. By combining exceptional development sites with unsurpassed multimodal service, Mount Vernon is poised for a dynamic new chapter of growth and development.”