Georgia Ports Authority opens first nine tracks of Mason Mega Rail project

[Jeff Smith]

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/ ... ect--60573

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) last week put into operation the first nine of 18 new working tracks as part of the authority's Mason Mega Rail project.

The action marks a milestone in the project, which has been in the works for more than four years and is designed to expand service to the U.S. Southeast and Midwest, GPA officials said in a press release.
...
In a related development, a new overpass on State Road 25 is nearing completion, GPA officials said. The new route will carry road traffic over eight tracks linking the current Chatham Yard on the south side of Garden City Terminal with the Mason Mega Rail site to the northwest. The overpass is expected to open in August.
...

[Gilbert B Norman]

Good to learn that one East Coast port agency holds that there remains a place for rail traffic in a Neo-PANAMAX world.

Only problem, is this high value traffic handled in Containers or transloaded on to Auto Racks, or is it dry bulk chemicals and agricultural products for export to European, Middle Eastern, Western Asia, and African markets (in short, to the people who can't grow enough to feed themselves)?

Enquiring mind wants to know.

[John_Perkowski]

What the presser doesn't say is Savannah has 36 Panamax capacity cranes already, with more to come. It can handle panamax ships, so it saves travel up the eastern seaboard to New York or Baltimore. The port has breakbulk capacity independent of the container terminals.

My estimate is Georgia is looking at Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco/Oakland, Seattle and Houston as its major competitors.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Well Colonel, if what you note comes to pass, then it would appear all is not lost for rail.

So, as you envision, the Port Authority's "game plan" is to entice a neo-PANAMAX vessel to fully unload high value containers consigned to destinations anywhere East of Ol' Man River, and for hauls >500 miles, rail "in the game". The vessel would need not "play tramp steamer" up the Coast.

Well, if this holds, Chessie can go back to her bowl of cream, and Topper his oats, confident the Savannah port will do its part to keep each full.

"Losers" of course will be Warren and Uncle Pete. "Biggest Loser" will be KCS, for there are now more factors in play than Mexican political stability to the development of Lazaro Cardenas, Mich as a "World Class" Port

[Jeff Smith]

When I served, I was a member of a Port Security unit (detachment size). Last time I was actually in the port would have been around 1988; it was huge then. You've got the two main east-coast Class I's there, as well as many short-lines throughout the state, including one at the port, the Georgia Central. Georgia gives generous tax credits to distribution centers; ironically, the one in Statesboro, at one time the largest in the world (WalMart) does NOT get rail service (too far off the NS main line, Class I track). Lots of movement towards inland ports. GDOT does a pretty good job with freight rail, owns a few lines, and everything is rail-banked even if inactive.

[MattW]

What GDOT-owned lines are rail-banked?

[Jeff Smith]

I've got a list/map somewhere, Matt, but off the top of my head, the one I can think of is the line that runs south from Swainsboro to connect with either the HOG or Georgia Central.