Tacoma Rail
| Company type | Public utility (municipally owned) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad transportation |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Headquarters | Tacoma , United States |
Area served | Tacoma, southern Pierce County, Washington |
| Products | Freight switching services |
Number of employees | 100+ |
| Parent | Tacoma Public Utilities |
Tacoma Rail is a municipally owned Class III railroad headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. Functioning as a public utility under the management of Tacoma Public Utilities, it operates on a self-funded basis, generating income for both the City of Tacoma and the State of Washington. The railroad focuses on freight switching services, catering to the Port of Tacoma and clients throughout Tacoma, southern Pierce County, Washington, and previously areas within Thurston County, Washington. Its fleet includes 16 diesel locomotives, supported by a workforce exceeding 100 employees, and it oversees roughly of track, largely consisting of former lines from the Milwaukee Road and BNSF Railway in Western Washington.
Operating divisions
Tacoma Rail is organized into two primary divisions:
Tidelands division
The Tidelands division provides service to the Port of Tacoma, encompassing four intermodal terminals and offering interchange connections with both BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. This division supports 40 customers and accounts for the majority of Tacoma Rail’s freight throughput.
Originally established in 1914 as a streetcar system for port employees, it transitioned exclusively to freight operations by 1937. Formerly named the Tacoma Municipal Belt Line, this division remains a cornerstone of Tacoma Rail’s focus on port-related freight logistics.
Lakewood division
The Lakewood division runs between Tacoma and DuPont, Washington, having been acquired from BNSF Railway in November 2004. It primarily serves 11 industrial clients located within the Lakewood region.
Sound Transit possesses trackage rights on this route for its commuter rail operations, while investments by WSDOT have upgraded the line to facilitate rerouting of Amtrak Cascades and Coast Starlight services. These enhancements improve regional transit connections and elevate the strategic significance of this division.
Mountain division
The Mountain division operated along a corridor from Tacoma to Frederickson, branching toward McKenna and Eatonville/Morton. This 97-mile stretch of track, owned by the City of Tacoma and managed by Tacoma Rail under contract bearing the TRMW reporting mark, was initially constructed by Milwaukee Road before city acquisition in 1994. The division served up to 14 customers primarily clustered near Frederickson.
The segment between Eatonville and Morton was leased to the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad for excursion operations; although activities ceased temporarily, resumption is anticipated in late 2023 or early 2024. Due to diminishing patronage—down to a single customer as of 2023—most of the Mountain Division was sold to WRL (now Rainier Rail, RNIR reporting marks). The City retained approximately six miles within Tacoma’s city boundaries, excluding a one-mile portion sold to Sound Transit for commuter rail purposes. Plans are underway by Tacoma Rail to abandon close to five miles of track featuring challenging infrastructure such as a steep 3.75% grade and bridges dating back over a century.
Rainier Rail intends to utilize its northern segment (north of Frederickson) mainly for railcar storage across four sidings—two of which require significant rehabilitation. The line is interrupted at city limits with most crossing equipment dismantled; the southern portion remains inactive as of November 2023.
Locomotive fleet
- Locomotive roster (as of March 2021)
| Unit Number | Manufacturer | Model Type | Year of Manufacture | Acquisition Date | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TMBL 1521 | EMD | MP15DC | 1982 | 3 May 2003 | formerly FNM 9823; originally NDM 9823 |
| TMBL 1522 | EMD | MP15AC | 1982 | 3 May 2003 | previously FNM 9824; initially NDM 9824 |
| TMBL 1523 | EMD | MP15AC | 1982 | 3 May 2003 | ex FNM 9825; originally NDM 9825 |
| TMBL 1524 | EMD | MP15AC | 1982 | 3 May 2003 | formerly FNM 9822; initially NDM 9822 |
| TMBL 1525 | EMD | MP15AC | 1983 | 2021 | ex TFM 1037, refurbished by Progress Rail in 2021 |
| TMBL 1526 | EMD | MP15AC | 1983 | 2021 | formerly TFM 1043, rebuilt by Progress Rail in 2021 |
| TMBL 2100 | NRE | 3GS21B-DE | 2011 | 26 August 2011 | |
| TMBL 2200 | EMD | GP22ECO | 2011 | 21 November 2011 | previously KXHR GP40; ex CSX 6633; originally BO 4058 (built in 1971) |
| TMBL 2201 | EMD | GP22ECO | 2011 | 15 December 2011 | |
| TMBL 2316 | EMD | GP23ECO | 2016 | 1 August 2016 | |
| TMBL 3000 | EMD | "SD40" | 1968 | 26 May 1999 | ex NREX 3065; transferred to Rainier Rail along with Mountain Division assets |