Mount Vernon elementary students will help name the railroad’s two locomotives
Ports of Indiana and OmniTRAX have announced the creation of the Mount Vernon Railroad to serve the Southwest Indiana port. The railroad’s new logo features the maroon and gray colors of the Mount Vernon community schools, and students from the city’s three local elementary schools have been invited to participate in a contest to name the two locomotives that will operate at the port. Students who submit the winning names will earn a prize for their class as well as a trip to the port to see the locomotives in action.
“It’s important for us to have a port railroad that pays tribute to our community and further strengthens the connections between our companies and the people who live and work here,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock. “This port has been part of the Mount Vernon community for nearly 50 years, and we are excited to celebrate the launch of the new railroad with the community so everyone can take pride in the new operation when they see these locomotives working around the port.”
The new railroad will be operated by OmniTRAX, who was selected from a group of 19 railroads that made proposals to manage rail operations at Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon and provide switching, sorting and various rail-related services for port customers. The railroad will coordinate rail connections and assemble outbound trains for interchange with the Mount Vernon-based Evansville Western Railway shortline railroad, which provides direct access to four Class I railroads – BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.
“We’re proud to be part of the Mount Vernon community and to celebrate the launch of Mount Vernon Railroad,” said OmniTRAX Chief Commercial Officer Ryan Higgins, who is also an Evansville, Ind., native. “The communities we serve are important partners to OmniTRAX and our team is excited to begin building long-term relationships here in Mount Vernon. As we serve the Ports of Indiana, port companies, and the community, we are excited to bring new business, new investment, and new jobs to Mount Vernon for years to come.”
The Mount Vernon Railroad will operate two 2,000-horsepower model GP38-2 locomotives, built in 1968 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. Both locomotives have received major engine overhauls and will get new paint schemes including the Mount Vernon Railroad logo and the winning locomotive names provided by the students.
In 2023, the port handled approximately 40,000 railcars and 6.7 million tons of total cargo shipments. Rail-served companies operating at the port include Consolidated Grain and Barge, Valero Renewable Fuels, Nutrien U.S., Nutrien Ag Solutions, Mount Vernon Transfer Terminal, Consolidated Terminals and Logistics Co. and Cimbar Performance Minerals.
Founded in 1986, OmniTRAX is one of the country’s largest private railroads and offers large-scale industrial development services through its affiliation with The Broe Group. The railroad will lead significant economic development initiatives to attract new business to the Mount Vernon port, which has approximately 600 acres available for future development, including a 544-acre megasite.