Freight Class I Union Pacific to build branch line to reach Texas petrochemical plant served by BNSF

Union Pacific to build branch line to reach Texas petrochemical plant served by BNSF

By Bill Stephens | September 25, 2025

The five-mile line would connect the Angleton Subdivision to a LyondellBasell’s polymer plant in Bay City, Texas

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WASHINGTON — Union Pacific has proposed building a new five-mile branch line to reach a petrochemical plant in Bay City, Texas, that is currently served only by rival BNSF Railway.

UP, in a Sept. 24 filing, asked the Surface Transportation Board to exempt the project from regulatory review, as is common for relatively small projects.

The new line, dubbed the Wadsworth Industrial Lead, would connect LyondellBasell’s polymer plant to UP’s Angleton Subdivision. Bay City is about 75 miles southwest of Houston.

“The project will strengthen LyondellBasell’s position in the region by providing it with a second competitive rail option. The proposed Line will also provide long-term benefits to the local economy by making Matagorda County more attractive to future industrial investments along the Line,” UP told the STB.

UP expects to operate two trains per day over the proposed line — one train in each direction — seven days per week.

2 thoughts on “Union Pacific to build branch line to reach Texas petrochemical plant served by BNSF

  1. The only other example I recall having seen of two class one RRs serving one industry, (I’m sure there must be many others), was back in the 1960s; the Orangeburg Manufacturing Co. in Orangeburg, Rockland County, NY. They were served by both the NYC West Shore line as well as the E-L Rwy’s Northern and/or Piermont Branch. Orangeburg pipe was a low cost pipe made of composite coal byproducts and became obsolete by the newly popular PVC pipe industry, and they went out of business in 1974. Of course the West Shore mainline still exists, but E-L Rwy’s Northern Branch was torn up in upstate NY back to the NJ state line at Northvale where it still serves some industries in ne NJ, and is under consideration for some type of reintroduction of commuter train service or light rail, should that ever happen.

  2. I wonder if lyondell ask for this or if up just wants to build it.”
    “UP expects to operate two trains per day over the proposed line — one train in each direction — seven days per week.”
    Until it costs to much. Then it will be sporadic service

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