Freight rail plays an essential role in moving agricultural goods across the country. Over 2 million tons of agricultural commodities with a value of 290 million dollars are moved by rail and that is expected to almost double by 2050.
Lisa Stern serves as the Wisconsin Department of Transportations Chief of Harbors and Rail. She shared that there are 11 different rail operators in Wisconsin and all are privately owned. While most private rail operators use private rail lines, some use public infrastructure.
“It’s a three way partnership between the state, the counties, and the private rail road operator”, said Stern regarding private use of public rail lines. Private lines will contribute 20% of costs for upgrading public lines.
Stern says the quality of the state rail infrastructure is in good condition. The state has been investing in the state freight rail lines since 1977 and the current budget provided another $13 million to assist in preservation.
Freight rail will continue having a big impact on the supply chain in Wisconsin. “Overall the rail service in the state has been increasing over time and it is expected to continue to increase” shared Stern.
Leave a Reply