Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad Moves Headquarters to Centralia

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    An Elma-based short-line railroad is in the process of moving its headquarters to Centralia, the Port of Centralia announced Wednesday afternoon.

    The Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad, which owns 108 miles of track throughout Southwest Washington, is in the process of moving its offices to a 3,000-square-foot space it is leasing at 1710 Midway Court. The company, a subsidiary of RailAmerica, started its business in Elma in 1997 and has grown to move 30,000 carloads per year as of 2010, according to a Port of Centralia press release.

    Port of Centralia Director Kyle Heaton said the railroad’s major commodities include lumber and other forest products, agricultural products and automobiles. Heaton said the relocation of the railroad’s headquarters to Centralia will prove pivotal to future development of businesses and logistics among the 30 current tenants in the port.

    “Strategically it puts us in a very good position, and especially as diesel prices remain high, shipping by rail will become not only more viable but an absolute necessity,” Heaton said. “If you don’t have rail in your industrial development in the future, you’re pretty much at a disadvantage. We’re excited about this partnership.”

    The Puget Sound and Pacific Railroad track has two major intersections with existing rail lines at Centralia’s Blakeslee Junction under Interstate 5 at Reynolds Avenue, connecting with both BNSF and Union Pacific lines. 



    Workers who were moving equipment into the company’s new space in Centralia did not provide comment Thursday, but deferred to company officials who would be visiting the area Monday. A call placed to the company’s current Elma headquarters was not returned by press time.

    Port of Centralia commissioner Gene Groshong said he hopes the railroad’s headquarters move provides a whole new world of potential tenants for the port.

    “I think a real major advantage to us is their knowledge of and connection to companies that primarily ship using rail,” Groshong said. “We could get some good leads, and this could really help us in the future for development.”

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    Christopher Brewer: (360) 807-8235