OmniTRAX to manage Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, develop new industrial park

July 4, 2014 / Updated July 25, 2023

DENVER – OmniTRAX announced in June that it will manage the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, a short line railway based in Brownsville, TX. OmniTRAX will also develop a large-scale industrial park on land owned by the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) of Cameron County, the parent governmental body of the Port of Brownsville.

Denver-based OmniTRAX has reached a management agreement with the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad. – Tim Blackwell/Cowcatcher Magazine

The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad will continue to be led by President & COO Norma Torres, and OmniTRAX expects to retain all personnel. The strategic partnership between the BND and OmniTRAX covers a 30-year period and will deliver significant economic development for the Rio Grande Valley.

“This is a great opportunity for OmniTRAX, the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad and the people of Brownsville to bring in new industries, create new jobs, increase the tax base and boost the local economy,” said Kevin Shuba, OmniTRAX CEO. “We are honored to be selected for the project by the Brownsville Navigation District and look forward to working with Norma Torres and the team at the railroad, the port and all other parties to reach these goals.”

The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad runs through 45 miles of the Brownsville Navigation District and five miles into the city of Brownsville, providing the port and its customers with access to Class 1 railroads Union Pacific and BNSF. The railroad also has an intermediate connection via UP to Kansas City Southern De Mexico routes across the Rio Grande.

“The professional rail and industrial development team at OmniTRAX helps us take advantage of our proximity to Mexico and other strategic assets to drive economic growth in the Brownsville region. Their experience and the best practices they use position us for mutual success,” said Ralph Cowen, Chairman of the Board of Canal Commissioners of the Port of Brownsville.

The Port of Brownsville currently has about 40,000 acres of land available for development. OmniTRAX will work with the BND to develop 1,200 acres for a world-class industrial park. The land is well-suited for light and heavy manufacturing, logistics, energy services, technology development and export/import warehousing.

“With recent energy reforms in Mexico, the anticipated development of the Burgos Basin just south of Brownsville and the energy expertise of OmniTRAX affiliate The Broe Group, we expect to take advantage of related opportunities for the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad and the Port of Brownsville,” said Brad Skinner, Chairman of OmniTRAX.

Spring is when large-scale model railroaders with their green thumbs plant and prune colorful foliage grown nearly to scale. In some areas, maintaining outdoor layouts is quite challenging because of changing weather. Nancy Norris, an author who builds garden railroads professionally, says some plant varieties have become more difficult to grow in certain Hardiness Zones. In some cases it means garden railroaders having to put more emphasis on growing native plants rather than relying on varieties more susceptible to extreme conditions. She recommends new gardeners consult with their local nurseries for the best choices for an outdoor layout. Norris also has a few recommendations of her own.

Sweeping tariffs imposed on goods imported into the United States are stirring model railroad manufacturers. As a result, model railroading and other hobbies will cost more. In February the U.S. applied a 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China, and the tax has since escalated. Suppliers – including Athearn, InterMountain Railway Co., Broadway Limited, Rapido Trains and ScaleTrains – have been putting dealers and customers on notice that prices will increase tariffs are implemented.

The first rule of railroading is “expect movement on any track at any time in any direction.” This may seem like an overabundance of caution, but railroading is a dangerous sport. Always expect a train when you’re around the tracks. The second rule of railroading is that there is an exception to every rule. The North American freight car fleet in 2023 consisted of 2.03 million rail cars, according to Railinc’s Umler Equipment Index. Rail car fleet management — how empty cars get dispatched to move to their next loading point — is an ever-moving process and often requires fleet car managers to be nimble.

OmniTRAX to manage Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, develop new industrial park

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