SAN PEDRO BAY PORTS BIDDING SHORT LINE RAIL SERVICES
Proposals Due July 28 for Operator to Serve Los Angeles, Long Beach Ports
May 20, 2025 – The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are accepting proposals from prospective short line railroad operators interested in providing railroad operating and maintenance services within the San Pedro Bay ports complex.
The San Pedro Bay ports complex is the most active in the Western Hemisphere, moving almost 20 million containers collectively in 2024. Though administered separately by the Harbor departments of its respective cities, the ports are served by the same short line rail network, which facilitates intermodal rail services for terminals in both ports. Pacific Harbor Line Inc. has provided short line rail services since 1995, when the joint contract was last bid.
A request for proposals with detailed information and an application schedule is available here. Proposals are due at 5 p.m. Monday, July 28, 2025.
Enhancing utilization of on-dock rail – moving containers directly from terminals to trains – is critical to the goals of the Clean Air Action Plan, a landmark partnership between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The CAAP was last updated in 2017 and, among other goals, set a target of moving 35% of containers away from terminals via train. The Port of Los Angeles has on-dock rail service at all of its container terminals and is investing more than $2 billion in infrastructure over the next decade.