Le Mars Transload Center in Iowa, USA Completes Expansion

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, Burlington Junction Railway (BJRY) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Le Mars Industrial Park in Iowa, announcing the completion of the expansion of the Le Mars Transload Center (LMTC) it operates. The project added approximately 5 acres of yard space and 670 feet of track, with a total investment of approximately $1.13 million, of which $792,000 came from a zero-interest loan under the Iowa Department of Transportation's Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant Program (RRLG), accounting for 70% of the total project cost.

The RRLG loan provided the primary source of funding for the project. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation's FY2026 project documents, the total railroad cost of the BJRY Le Mars transload expansion was $1,131,330, with both the loan application amount and the recommended amount at $792,000, at a zero interest rate, with repayment terms in accordance with RRLG program regulations. The program provides financing support for projects that improve railroad facilities, create jobs, and promote economic activity in the state.

The expansion was carried out on the existing site of LMTC. The center was jointly opened in 2015 by the City of Le Mars, BJRY, and Canadian National Railway (CN), adjacent to the CN line and U.S. Highway 75. The site previously covered approximately 4 acres, and the transload center and surrounding industrial park handled nearly 2,000 railcars per year. This expansion added approximately 4.9 acres of yard space and 670 feet of track to the south, enabling the transload center to provide rail connection and truck transloading services for shippers that do not have their own rail sidings.

BJRY provides switching, transloading, and locomotive maintenance services in Le Mars, handling cargo categories including wallboard, lumber, bulk liquids, dry bulk, machinery, rebar, and oversized special cargo. BJRY President and CEO Peter Hoth stated that the existing yard and transload space were no longer sufficient to accommodate future customers.