2025 Tacoma Rail Highlights

• Intermodal platform volumes decreased by 10% from 2024.   

• Unit trains and other commercial traffic decreased 3%. 

• Saw a 6% decrease in total traffic.   

• Continued service to South Tacoma and Lakewood via a freight franchise on Sound Transit-owned rail line.  

• Maintained positive Train Control to ensure safe, compliant operations. 

This project removed worn and deteriorated railroad track switches and replaced select crossties in the Port of Tacoma area. The project covered approximately 9,000 track feet, includes the replacement of nine turnouts, replaced and relocated one crossover, relayed existing rail in all curves on Pandrol style tie plating, and replaced 1,200 crossties throughout the project limits. 

• Purpose: Improve track safety and reliability. 

• Milestone: Project completed.  

• Impact: Tacoma Rail handled more than 27,500 freight rail deliveries in the project area. Using a 4:1 rail-to -truck conversion, the work helped displace the equivalent of over 110,000 truck trips. Each delivery supports about a 4-mile round trip on average. 

We purchased and deployed a new ballast tamper, a self-propelled machine that compacts track ballast beneath railroad ties to maintain track alignment. 

• Purpose: Replace outdated ballast tamper. 

• Milestone: New tamper placed in service. 

• Impact: Eliminates dips, sags, and alignment shifts in railroad tracks that can increase derailment risk.  

• Enhanced customer notifications for real-time railcar status updates. 

• Employees participated in the TPU Customer Experience North Star Training.  

• Completed annual customer feedback survey focused on operations and technology.  

• Began development of a new Railway Conductor Trainee Program to strengthen a local talent pipeline. 

• All managers participated in the TPU leadership training.  

• Expanded Tacoma Rail’s Equity Committee participation, which provided recommendations for equitable process improvements. 

• Standardized Incident Review Team processes to promote consistent and fair outcomes. 

• Added GPS to locomotives and integrated with the Automated Rail Management System. 

• Continued enhancements to operational processes and customer integrations. 

• Completed new 2025 CFR Part 243 training requirements. 

• Secured an agreement with BNSF for daily delivery of 10,000-foot trains. 

• Reduced monthly car hire liability by 50%.  

Note: Corrective Actions and Leadership site visits were not standard operational expectations for all divisions, and the data may reflect this inconsistency. Additionally, due to limitations with the existing data platform, some divisions tracked their own data independently, some of which may or may not be fully represented here.  

We deliver essential freight rail services in high-risk operating environments and maintain a strong safety culture grounded in shared responsibility and continuous improvement. 

Overall Safety Stats (2025 compared to 2024)

• Corrective Actions: 9 (up from 8) 

• Leadership Site Visits: 74 (up from 73) 

• Total Recordable Injury Rates: 2.17 (up from 2.15) 

• Rail earned a safety index score of 2.17, below the industry average of 2.24. 

• Developed a local talent pipeline through a new Railway Conductor Trainee Program. 

• Earned a Jake Safety Award from the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association for maintaining an injury rate below Class II and III industry averages.  

• Supported rail safety education in local schools. 

• Interchanged nearly 70,000 feet of railcar traffic per day. 

• Customers averaged 1,034 railcars online daily, supporting efficient freight movement throughout the region 

• Advanced rail safety education efforts through Operation Lifesaver partnership.  

• Completed three Department of Ecology-supervised spill drills to meet Washington environmental requirements.  

• Conducted quarterly reviews and updates of the Oil Spill Contingency Plan. 

• Received the 2025 Jake Award. Recognizing railroads that outperform national injury frequency standards for Class II and Class III railroads.