North America boasts the most advanced freight rail system in the world. It provides access to nearly every industry in every market, as well as to all major ocean and inland ports.
Transportation plays a vital role in almost all businesses, and freight rail is one of the safest and lowest cost options available. As companies look to manage shrinking budgets, improvements to transportation and logistics planning can really move the needle. On average, railroads are three times more fuel efficient than trucks, and a single railcar can carry as much freight as 3 to 5 trucks.
In addition to the initial savings, rail pricing is more stable than truck as fluctuations in demand/capacity and fuel have a much smaller impact on rail. This allows for greater accuracy when forecasting transportation expense. It is also important to point out that railroads are not subject to the congestion of highways, which improves dependability. As railroads have invested to improve performance and reliability, companies can increasingly depend on rail freight to support business growth.
Nearly all products can or currently
do ship by rail.
To fully maximize the efficiencies of rail, some products are a better fit than others. Here are some common scenarios where rail transportation should be considered:
- Truck shipments greater than 250 miles
- 50+ truckloads annually of a product to/from a single location
- Bulk commodities like grain, plastic pellets, chemicals, aggregates, etc.
- Dense products like metals, lumber, and rolls of paper
- Overweight loads
- Dimensional/Oversized loads
- Hazardous products
Having the option to ship directly to or from your facility is a major advantage when it comes to reducing transportation spend.
To do that, there are several options:
- Relocate to an existing rail-served facility
- Build a rail spur at a facility adjacent to our railroad.
- Utilize green- or brownfields sites to build a new, custom rail served facility
Why Gulf & Atlantic Railways, LLC?
Industry Expertise
Gulf & Atlantic Railways, LLC is the management company for two short line railroads, Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad and Grenada Railroad. While the company itself is new, the team has decades of diverse experience across transportation, finance and real estate.
The commercial team is comprised of logistics experts with experience in rail, truck, vessel and barge operations. We know your company may need more than just rail service, and our unique experience allows us to address your broader set of needs.
The operations team is led by railroad veterans with proven performance and safety records. With a focus on safety and consistency, they are responsive to customer needs and understand that we are an extension of your operations.
Logistics Advisors
Companies interested in rail, whether it is converting to rail from other modes, relocating to a rail-served site, greenfield projects or transloading, can leverage our experience and industry knowledge to ensure your transportation and logistics plans are as efficient and effective as possible.