Photo by Bill Hamilton

Transloading

Transload freight service combining long distance rail delivery with the first or last few miles by truck to or from your industrial facility is the fastest growing sector of the rail freight industry. The Buckingham Branch has provided transload rail service for more than 30 years. We currently have 12 transload service locations across our four rail divisions, the Buckingham, the Richmond & Alleghany, the Virginia Southern, and the Norfolk Division. The availability of Buckingham Branch transload service means that your industrial or distribution facility can take advantage of the cost savings of long distance rail freight transport whether or not you are located on one of the Buckingham Branch rail lines. Transload service greatly expands the number of industrial and distribution facilities across Mid-Atlantic Region that can consider Buckingham Branch rail service.

Locations of Buckingham Branch Transload Locations

The Buckigham Branch RR has 12 transload locations available across our four divisions, the Buckingham, Richmond & Alleghany, Virginia Southern, and Norfolk. Our 280 miles of track spanning Virginia from east to west, and also reaching central Virginia and southern Virginia enable industrial and distribution companies to receive rail service through transload across much of Virginia. Please see the "Site Location" page of our website and the "Transload Sites" subpage to see all our transload locations and to get 2-page PDF brochures for each location.

When Transload Service Is Practical

As a general rule of thumb if your inbound or outbound freight will move 300 miles or more, you should consider rail transload service as a cost saving option. Rail cars can hold 4 to 5 times the weight of a comparable truck and railcar(s) of freight will typically travel in trains of 100 or more cars, reducing fuel and labor costs compared to long distance truck transport. Working with our trucking partners or with your trucking service, we can deliver that cost savings to your door without requiring a facility location on our rail lines.

Access to East Coast and Mid-Atlantic Customers and Suppliers

The Buckingham Branch has transload service freight customers that use their BB freight service to reach customers across Virginia, through-out the Mid-Atlantic Region and for distribution to the U.S. East Coast. Our transload locations are adjacent to I-95, I-81, and I-64 and near I-85 for great trucking access to the eastern U.S. Let us show you how the cost savings of transload can benefit your business.

Industry Clusters within the Buckingham Branch Transload Service Market

There are several major industry clusters that can be reached by Buckingham Branch transload freight service. These include steel and other metals manufacturers; manufacturers using plastic resins; paper and cardboard manufacturing; agribusiness manufacturing of foodstuffs and pet products that use agricultural commodities; and manufacturers of building materials using timber products, among others. Other customers use our Buckingham Branch transload service to distribute finished food and beverage products such as beer and wine to regional wholesalers.