Patriot Rail completes acquisition of five Hoosier railroads

Thursday, September 15, 2022 03:10 PM EDT Updated: Friday, September 16, 2022 11:41 AM EDT
By Wes Mills
Elkhart & Western Railroad is one of five Indiana railways acquired by Florida-based Patriot Rail. (photo provided)

Several short-line railroads in Indiana are under new ownership. Florida-based Patriot Rail Co. LLC has completed the acquisition of Pioneer Lines Inc. from BRX Transportation Holdings in Denver. Terms of the deal, which was first announced in May 2019, were not disclosed.

Patriot Rail says the acquisition increases the company’s short line operations from 16 to 31 railroads, including five in Indiana. Patriot now serves customers with operations in 23 states.

“We are pleased to bring Pioneer Lines railroads into Patriot Rail,” said Patriot Rail Chief Executive Officer John Fenton. “Doubling our footprint across the U.S. furthers our commitment to exceed customer expectations as a best-in-class rail partner.

Fenton says the expansion will allow for deeper “commercial and logistics relationships.”

Indiana operations include:

  • Elkhart & Western Railroad
  • Indiana Southwestern Railway (Evansville)
  • Kendallville Terminal Railway
  • Michigan Southern Railroad (includes Elkhart)
  • Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway (includes Fort Wayne)

In addition to freight service, Patriot Rail also offers railcar storage, transloading, and excursion train service.

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