Rail Carrier Approved For Lake Charles Port

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — Port of Lake Charles board members have approved an agreement to allow Port Rail Inc. to be its rail carrier instead of Union Pacific, a move one official said will have less of an impact on residents during peak traffic hours.

Bill Rase, the port's executive director, said the decision gives the port more control over when the trains run and how many trains run at one time, something that could not be regulated under Union Pacific.

The American Press reports (http://bit.ly/1eOXZNb) the agreement allows the port to invest $1 million for Port Rail to begin operations. Rase said the port had already budgeted for the investment.

Port Rail will provide service for all entities that use the city docks, including the port's new grain elevator.

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Information from: American Press, http://www.americanpress.com