The Port of Long Beach has reported that the “America’s Green Gateway” – the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility – will enhance on-dock rail capacity at the port’s shipping terminals.
This is expected to hasten deliveries across the entire national supply chain, easing congestion and lessening environmental impacts. The project will reconfigure, expand and enhance the existing Pier B rail yard, and directly connect to on-dock rail facilities and the Alameda Corridor railway.
By allowing longer trains to be assembled with greater frequency, the new facility will reportedly streamline rail operations and minimise the increase in truck trips as cargo volume grows. The $1.567 billion project is the centerpiece of the port’s on-dock rail capital improvement efforts.
Construction is expected to begin in 2024. The new facility will more than double the size of the existing Pier B rail yard from 82 acres to 171 acres and more than triple the volume of on-dock rail cargo the port can handle annually, from 1.5 million TEU to 4.7 million TEU.
The yard will also feature a depot for fueling and servicing up to 30 locomotives at the same time and a full-service staging area to assemble and break down trains up to 10,000 feet long. The overall project will be built in phases, each improving cargo flow, with completion by 2032.
By adding on-dock rail capacity, the project will greatly improve rail operations throughout the San Pedro Bay ports complex. More cargo will move with less environmental impact, mitigating roadway traffic congestion and improving air quality.
READ: Port of Long Beach records strongest June TEU volumes
The project site in the Harbor District is south of 12th Street, north of Pier B Street, and west of the 710 Freeway. The port is in the process of acquiring properties in the project’s footprint.
The existing Pier B rail facility serves as a storage and staging area for trains and is a critical juncture in the port’s rail network. The facility is primarily used by Pacific Harbor Line, which provides rail dispatching and switching services.
