2022 Tacoma Rail Highlights
Efficient and reliable service
Since 1914, Tacoma Rail has worked to meet our primary goal of providing efficient, cost-effective rail service. 2022 was no exception; we provided service to areas as diverse as the Port of Tacoma and Tacoma’s industrial areas (Tidelands Division), Lakeview (Capital Division), and Frederickson (Mountain Division). Tacoma Rail also added new domestic intermodal service in the South Intermodal Yard with the BNSF in 2022. We also took critical planning time to create a new five-year strategic plan designed to help us adapt to the changing rail landscape.
We made strides in our commitment to environmental sustainability, securing a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant for battery electric locomotives and charging infrastructure for $3.6 million.
Tacoma Rail is proud to say that in 2022, we had 100 percent on-time outbound intermodal train performance and 99 percent on-time commercial traffic spotting performance.
Finally, we added new import automobile services being provided to Glovis and Hyundai through the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions facility.
Tidelands Division
Despite a successful new domestic intermodal service in partnership with the BNSF at the South Intermodal Yard, intermodal platform railcars were down from 2021 volumes by more than 20 percent. The Northwest Seaport Alliance continued to experience volatility in international intermodal trade.
Unit trains and other commercial traffic were nearly flat in 2022 versus 2021. Wallenius Wilhelmsen Solutions continued to grow its line haul traffic by 16 percent. Truck-Rail Handling, a standout smaller customer by volume, saw an increase of 204 percent.
We continued to focus on meeting Washington’s environmental rules that mandate executing oil spill contingency plans. In 2022, Tacoma Rail completed three Department of Ecology supervised spill drills.
Capital Division
Down from 738 carloads in 2021 to 698 carloads in 2022, total traffic for the Capital Division decreased by 5 percent. This division provides service to South Tacoma and Lakewood customers through a freight franchise on the rail line owned by Sound Transit. Positive Train Control, a system of functional requirements for monitoring and controlling train movements and a type of train protection system, is a requirement for the Capital Division.
Mountain Division
Tacoma Rail has an agreement with the City of Tacoma to operate the Mountain Division. In 2022, 1,735 carloads were handled, a 4 percent volume decrease from 2021. The largest railcar volume customer, Hardie Building Products, decreased by nearly 8 percent compared to the prior year. Cost controls and deferred capital investment continue to be implemented due to insufficient revenue.
Conclusion
Tacoma Rail continues to work diligently to provide efficient, cost-effective rail services daily to ensure long-term safety and sustainability.