SANTA MARIA, Calif. – OmniTRAX yesterday began operations on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, the short line holding company’s 29th rail operation.
The operation is a joint venture partnership with Coast Belle Rail Corp., the local owner of the 114-year-old Santa Maria Railroad for the past two decades.
“This joint venture brings our companies’ collective strengths together to serve the community,” OmniTRAX Co-CEO Dean Piacente said on Wednesday. “By combining Coast Belle’s local passion with the national reach of OmniTRAX, we can bring new customers to the line and new jobs to the Central Coast.”
Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the historic California railroad serves commercial and agricultural customers. The 14.7-mile railroad interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad in Guadalupe.
“Today marks the fulfillment of a very personal commitment to our community, my family, and the legacy of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad,’ said Santa Maria Valley Railroad President Rob Himoto. “To keep pace with California’s dynamic growth, we sought a partner with the resources to grow with us and the cultural values that align with the spirit of the line. In the Broe family’s OmniTRAX, we found both. This is an exciting day for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad as we write a new chapter of shared ownership in the storied history of families entrusted with the railroad’s legacy of service.”
With last month’s addition of Port Muskogee Railroad, OmniTRAX operates 30 railroads, serving ports and industrial parks across the country. By combining rail and real estate expertise, OmniTRAX continues to power major industrial hubs spanning from California to Georgia.
