The first of ExpressTrak LLC/Amtrak's new fleet of 109 refrigerated railcars rolled out at Ebenezer Railcar Service's shops in West Seneca NY recently.
United States Rep Jack Quinn, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, helped christen the cars. Joining him were Lee Sargrad, president of Amtrak Mail & Express; Joe McHugh, Amtrak acting vice-president-government affairs; Robert A Walker, chairman, and R Franklin Unger, president of ExpressTrak LLC; Yale Levin, executive vice-president of Soave Enterprises; Robert P Rude, chairman; and Jeffrey F Schmarje, president of Ebenezer Railcar Services Inc; and Paul Cark, township supervisor of West Seneca Township.
These reefer railcars will speed perishable commodities coast-to-coast behind regularly scheduled Amtrak passenger trains in as little as four days. Their primary freight will be fresh fruits and vegetables; processed foods; and non-produce perishables.
Unger signed a $10 million-plus contract with Ebenezer Railcar Services in January to build the 109 high-tech, 57-foot railcars. Built for sustained passenger train speeds of 90 mph, the cars will provide ExpressTrak's Rapid Modal service first between transloading centers in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Bakersfield CA and eastern centers such as Philadelphia PA, Springfield MA, Jacksonville FL, Detroit MI, and Toronto and Montreal, Canada.
“Service to other major market centers will begin just as soon as transloading facilities are completed,” said Unger. Such centers as New York NY, Boston MD, Washington DC/Baltimore MD, and Chicago IL will be targeted.
