Transload Siting Gaps: Where a Rail Terminal Is Missing

CommodityState

77 ranked gap areas: rail-served counties with real bulk-industry demand and no open-access transloader handling that commodity within 75 miles.

#	Gap area	Commodity	Bulk demand	Rail	Nearest handling transloader
1	Bernalillo County, NM pop 676,444	Forest Products	24 sites · 1,544 jobs top 7% of counties	BNSF 1.1 mi to line	201 mi away Apache Railway Snowflake Transload · Snowflake, AZ
2	Miami-Dade County, FL pop 2,701,767	Plastics	59 sites · 1,863 jobs top 6% of counties	CSX 0.5 mi to line	191 mi away Heniff Food Grade · Lakeland, FL
3	Spokane County, WA pop 539,339	Plastics	13 sites · 1,547 jobs top 20% of counties	BNSF 0.1 mi to line	229 mi away Plastic Express - Kent, WA (Seattle-Tacoma Yard) · Kent, WA
4	Canyon County, ID pop 231,105	Agriculture	35 sites · 481 jobs top 4% of counties	UP 0.6 mi to line	159 mi away Burley Transload Terminal · Burley, ID
5	Yellowstone County, MT pop 164,731	Agriculture	17 sites · 126 jobs top 20% of counties	BNSF 1.7 mi to line	177 mi away Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Rr · Shoshoni, WY
6	Bonneville County, ID pop 123,964	Building Materials	12 sites · 167 jobs top 32% of counties	UP 1.8 mi to line	176 mi away Port Of Montana · Butte, MT
7	Clark County, NV pop 2,265,461	Agriculture	17 sites · 83 jobs top 25% of counties	UP 0.7 mi to line	147 mi away Superior Carriers · Parker, AZ
8	Hidalgo County, TX pop 870,781	Agriculture	31 sites · 198 jobs top 9% of counties	UP 2.6 mi to line	116 mi away Bronco Road Rail Terminal · Corpus Christi, TX
9	Cass County, ND pop 184,525	Plastics	9 sites · 974 jobs top 31% of counties	BNSF 1.7 mi to line	152 mi away Rail to Road St. Joe Terminal · Saint Joseph, MN
10	Yuma County, AZ pop 203,881	Agriculture	32 sites · 679 jobs top 4% of counties	UP 2.5 mi to line	105 mi away Superior Carriers · Parker, AZ
11	Pima County, AZ pop 1,043,433	Aggregates	13 sites · 161 jobs top 8% of counties	UP 0 mi to line	110 mi away Loup RailPort - Phoenix, AZ · Phoenix, AZ
12	Brown County, SD pop 38,301	Agriculture	24 sites · 250 jobs top 9% of counties	BNSF 0.6 mi to line	107 mi away NPS Campbell Terminal · Campbell, MN
13	Fresno County, CA pop 1,008,654	Plastics	18 sites · 1,130 jobs top 18% of counties	BNSF 1 mi to line	117 mi away Foodliner Inc. (Kinder Morgan) · Stockton, CA
14	Howell County, MO pop 39,750	Forest Products	25 sites · 705 jobs top 13% of counties	BNSF 0.9 mi to line	105 mi away Capital Railroad Contracting – Park Hills Transloading Hub · Park Hills, MO
15	Humboldt County, NV pop 17,285	Metals	10 sites · 2,161 jobs top 15% of counties	BNSF 2.2 mi to line	106 mi away Savage Elko Transload · Elko, NV
16	Imperial County, CA pop 179,702	Agriculture	48 sites · 619 jobs top 2% of counties	UP 1.4 mi to line	91 mi away Weber Distribution Warehouses · San Diego, CA
17	Kent County, MI pop 657,974	Building Materials	30 sites · 1,241 jobs top 5% of counties	CSX 2.2 mi to line	91 mi away H&H Trucking · Elkhart, IN
18	Sweetwater County, WY pop 42,272	Dry Bulk	4 sites · 1,204 jobs top 34% of counties	UP 1.4 mi to line	130 mi away Bighorn Divide & Wyoming Rr · Shoshoni, WY
19	San Diego County, CA pop 3,298,634	Aggregates	13 sites · 226 jobs top 5% of counties	BNSF 2.1 mi to line	86 mi away Mhx LLC · Fontana, CA
20	Beadle County, SD pop 19,149	Agriculture	17 sites · 174 jobs top 16% of counties	BNSF 0.1 mi to line	94 mi away Rail To Road Transloading · Sioux Falls, SD
21	Chatham County, GA pop 295,291	Building Materials	21 sites · 580 jobs top 12% of counties	CSX 0.5 mi to line	89 mi away Carver Maritime Charleston · North Charleston, SC
22	San Luis Obispo County, CA pop 282,424	Plastics	8 sites · 203 jobs top 54% of counties	UP 0.4 mi to line	166 mi away Truck Rail Handling · Fremont, CA
23	Hinds County, MS pop 227,742	Building Materials	17 sites · 678 jobs top 13% of counties	NS 1.5 mi to line	87 mi away Natchez-Adams County Port · Natchez, MS
24	Yakima County, WA pop 256,728	Plastics	10 sites · 1,131 jobs top 28% of counties	BNSF 2.4 mi to line	104 mi away Plastic Express - Kent, WA (Seattle-Tacoma Yard) · Kent, WA
25	Codington County, SD pop 28,325	Agriculture	17 sites · 138 jobs top 18% of counties	BNSF 0.2 mi to line	90 mi away NPS Campbell Terminal · Campbell, MN
26	Smith County, TX pop 233,479	Building Materials	18 sites · 200 jobs top 24% of counties	UP 0.6 mi to line	97 mi away Dallas Transfer & Terminal · Dallas, TX
27	Colorado County, TX pop 20,557	Aggregates	13 sites · 281 jobs top 4% of counties	UP 2.9 mi to line	76 mi away Lone Star Integrated Distribution · Houston, TX
28	McPherson County, KS pop 30,223	Plastics	9 sites · 726 jobs top 35% of counties	UP 1 mi to line	111 mi away Land Rush Rail – Blackwell Transload · Blackwell, OK
29	Thomas County, KS pop 7,930	Agriculture	12 sites · 112 jobs top 29% of counties	UP 0.6 mi to line	99 mi away Foodliner Inc. · Garden City, KS
30	Cameron County, TX pop 421,017	Agriculture	10 sites · 61 jobs top 42% of counties	BNSF 0.3 mi to line	121 mi away Bronco Road Rail Terminal · Corpus Christi, TX
31	Yuma County, CO pop 9,988	Agriculture	14 sites · 194 jobs top 19% of counties	BNSF 3.3 mi to line	86 mi away Adams Industries · Sidney, NE
32	Lafayette County, LA pop 241,753	Building Materials	13 sites · 181 jobs top 30% of counties	BNSF 2.4 mi to line	99 mi away Natchez-Adams County Port · Natchez, MS
33	Kern County, CA pop 909,235	Plastics	11 sites · 544 jobs top 35% of counties	BNSF 0.3 mi to line	106 mi away Ventura Transfer Co. · Commerce, CA
34	Missoula County, MT pop 117,922	Forest Products	13 sites · 564 jobs top 23% of counties	BNSF 0.7 mi to line	89 mi away Port Of Montana · Butte, MT
35	Tehama County, CA pop 65,829	Forest Products	6 sites · 1,036 jobs top 38% of counties	UP 1.2 mi to line	110 mi away Advanced Logistics & Distribution Systems · McClellan AFB, CA
36	Nueces County, TX pop 353,178	Building Materials	8 sites · 107 jobs top 45% of counties	CPKC 3.5 mi to line	123 mi away Brownsville Gulfside Warehouse · Brownsville, TX
37	Kootenai County, ID pop 171,362	Building Materials	12 sites · 256 jobs top 28% of counties	BNSF 2.6 mi to line	91 mi away Clearwater Transload And Storage Inc.. · Lewiston, ID
38	San Patricio County, TX pop 68,755	Building Materials	8 sites · 94 jobs top 47% of counties	UP 1.9 mi to line	122 mi away Cig Logistics · San Antonio, TX
39	Lee County, MS pop 83,343	Plastics	17 sites · 1,070 jobs top 19% of counties	CPKC 0.2 mi to line	80 mi away Mississippi Delta Railroad - Swan Lake transload (American Services Rail, LLC) · Swan Lake, MS
40	Bibb County, GA pop 157,346	Building Materials	9 sites · 1,098 jobs top 22% of counties	NS 1.4 mi to line	79 mi away Fulton County Railway, LLC (OmniTRAX) - Multi-Commodity Transload Terminal · Atlanta, GA
41	Gallatin County, MT pop 118,960	Building Materials	17 sites · 313 jobs top 20% of counties	BNSF 3.7 mi to line	77 mi away Port Of Montana · Butte, MT
42	Ramsey County, ND pop 11,605	Agriculture	12 sites · 142 jobs top 26% of counties	BNSF 1.5 mi to line	82 mi away Reile's Transfer & Delivery - Grand Forks Rail Facility · Grand Forks, ND
43	Lee County, AL pop 174,241	Plastics	9 sites · 1,566 jobs top 27% of counties	NS 1.4 mi to line	81 mi away Bulk Plus Logistics · Fairburn, GA
44	Lowndes County, GA pop 118,251	Forest Products	11 sites · 788 jobs top 24% of counties	NS 1.3 mi to line	77 mi away GSWR Choice Terminal · Bainbridge, GA
45	Hill County, MT pop 16,309	Agriculture	11 sites · 63 jobs top 39% of counties	BNSF 1.4 mi to line	96 mi away Savage Services - Shelby Transload Facility · Shelby, MT
46	Champaign County, IL pop 205,865	Building Materials	13 sites · 133 jobs top 34% of counties	CN 0 mi to line	88 mi away Partners Warehouse - Elwood · Elwood, IL
47	Cavalier County, ND pop 3,704	Agriculture	12 sites · 105 jobs top 29% of counties	BNSF 1.5 mi to line	82 mi away Reile's Transfer & Delivery - Grand Forks Rail Facility · Grand Forks, ND
48	Wells County, ND pop 3,982	Agriculture	12 sites · 137 jobs top 26% of counties	CPKC 1.8 mi to line	78 mi away Rail Modal Group Minot Intermodal Facility · Minot, ND
49	Jones County, MS pop 67,246	Forest Products	7 sites · 572 jobs top 38% of counties	NS 0.2 mi to line	87 mi away QSL Pascagoula Terminal · Pascagoula, MS
50	Foster County, ND pop 3,397	Agriculture	9 sites · 66 jobs top 43% of counties	CPKC 2.5 mi to line	94 mi away Red River Valley & Western Railroad - Casselton Transload · Casselton, ND
51	Lyon County, KS pop 32,179	Agriculture	7 sites · 1,864 jobs top 31% of counties	BNSF 0.7 mi to line	77 mi away United Warehouse Co. · Wichita, KS
52	Lowndes County, MS pop 58,879	Building Materials	8 sites · 260 jobs top 36% of counties	BNSF 0.4 mi to line	82 mi away Bessie Junction · Adamsville, AL
53	Lycoming County, PA pop 114,188	Plastics	8 sites · 940 jobs top 34% of counties	NS 0.7 mi to line	78 mi away R.J. Corman – Clearfield Industrial Park (Clearfield, PA) · Clearfield, PA
54	Harrison County, TX pop 68,839	Building Materials	8 sites · 277 jobs top 35% of counties	BNSF 0.8 mi to line	79 mi away Patriot Rail – Gibsland, LA · Gibsland, LA
55	Lake County, MT pop 31,134	Forest Products	10 sites · 87 jobs top 48% of counties	BNSF 0.1 mi to line	97 mi away Watco – Eureka Transload Terminal · Eureka, MT
56	Brown County, TX pop 38,095	Building Materials	5 sites · 1,326 jobs top 39% of counties	BNSF 1.2 mi to line	84 mi away Mccoy Mc Reload · Burnet, TX
57	St. Lawrence County, NY pop 108,505	Forest Products	8 sites · 321 jobs top 40% of counties	CSX 3.4 mi to line	84 mi away Laser Transit Rail-Served Warehouse · Lacona, NY
58	Scioto County, OH pop 74,008	Forest Products	9 sites · 345 jobs top 35% of counties	NS 2.2 mi to line	77 mi away Americold Logistics (Nordic Cold Storage) · Columbus, OH
59	Coffee County, GA pop 43,092	Forest Products	8 sites · 336 jobs top 39% of counties	CSX 0.7 mi to line	81 mi away Gilmer Warehouse Kathleen · Kathleen, GA
60	Santa Rosa County, FL pop 188,000	Building Materials	8 sites · 111 jobs top 45% of counties	CSX 2.9 mi to line	88 mi away QSL Pascagoula Terminal · Pascagoula, MS
61	Roanoke County, VA pop 100,011	Building Materials	8 sites · 115 jobs top 45% of counties	NS 0.1 mi to line	87 mi away OBE Transload and Warehouse – Elkin · Elkin, NC
62	Adams County, NE pop 31,205	Plastics	8 sites · 323 jobs top 48% of counties	BNSF 0.2 mi to line	92 mi away Olb Railway · Lincoln, NE
63	Towner County, ND pop 2,162	Agriculture	8 sites · 52 jobs top 51% of counties	BNSF 2.3 mi to line	94 mi away Rail Modal Group Minot Intermodal Facility · Minot, ND
64	Laclede County, MO pop 36,039	Forest Products	5 sites · 507 jobs top 50% of counties	BNSF 0.7 mi to line	92 mi away Ozark Transmodal Inc.. · Purdy, MO
65	Morton County, ND pop 33,291	Agriculture	9 sites · 49 jobs top 48% of counties	BNSF 1 mi to line	87 mi away Gascoyne Materials Handling & Recycling - Dickinson/Lehigh Terminal · Dickinson, ND
66	Montgomery County, AL pop 228,954	Plastics	5 sites · 649 jobs top 53% of counties	CSX 3.3 mi to line	96 mi away Bessie Junction · Adamsville, AL
67	Sanders County, MT pop 12,400	Forest Products	8 sites · 147 jobs top 48% of counties	BNSF 3.7 mi to line	86 mi away Watco – Eureka Transload Terminal · Eureka, MT
68	Gove County, KS pop 2,718	Agriculture	10 sites · 49 jobs top 45% of counties	UP 4.5 mi to line	79 mi away Foodliner Inc. · Garden City, KS
69	Sussex County, DE pop 237,378	Plastics	10 sites · 264 jobs top 47% of counties	NS 1.2 mi to line	78 mi away Baltimore NS TBT · Baltimore Canton, MD
70	Russell County, KS pop 6,691	Agriculture	8 sites · 49 jobs top 51% of counties	UP 0.5 mi to line	83 mi away Kyle Railroad – Scandia Transload · Scandia, KS
71	Marathon County, WI pop 138,013	Metals	4 sites · 1,073 jobs top 49% of counties	CN 2.9 mi to line	76 mi away Warehouse Specialists LLC (Wsi) · Neenah, WI
72	St. Landry County, LA pop 82,540	Forest Products	8 sites · 110 jobs top 51% of counties	UP 1.8 mi to line	78 mi away Port of Morgan City · Morgan City, LA
73	Wichita County, TX pop 129,350	Plastics	4 sites · 950 jobs top 56% of counties	BNSF 0.7 mi to line	81 mi away Asphalt Express Enterprises Rail Terminal · Ardmore, OK
74	Nolan County, TX pop 14,738	Building Materials	3 sites · 539 jobs top 66% of counties	BNSF 0.3 mi to line	99 mi away Cig Logistics · Slaton, TX
75	Cole County, MO pop 77,279	Plastics	4 sites · 551 jobs top 64% of counties	UP 2.5 mi to line	95 mi away Burlington Junction Railway · Fenton, MO
76	Marquette County, MI pop 66,017	Metals	3 sites · 1,127 jobs top 67% of counties	CN 1.9 mi to line	96 mi away KK Integrated Logistics – Port of Menominee · Menominee, MI
77	Allen County, LA pop 22,750	Forest Products	3 sites · 602 jobs top 69% of counties	UP 2.3 mi to line	83 mi away Natchitoches Parish Port · Campti, LA

Shortline or transloader?

Each row is demand with no open-access competitor nearby — a siting case for a new terminal or a rail-served site.

Shipper in one of these counties?

You're likely trucking farther than you should. Plan a rail move to see the nearest option and the dray.

Economic developer?

A rail-served site here has a built-in freight base. Talk to us about what a transload needs to run.

Operate a shortline or short-haul railroad? Rebulk helps you win and manage carload and transload business on your line — switch planning, live yard moves, and a transload operating system your customers can see into.

Rebulk for shortlines

How this is built. A gap is a county whose population center sits within 20 miles of a Class-I main line (FRA / BTS North American Rail Network) and that carries meaningful bulk-industry activity, but whose nearest open-access transloader handling that commodity — from Rebulk's directory of 2,000+ facilities — is more than 75 miles away. Demand is a bulk-industry proxy (establishment and employment concentration by commodity from the U.S. Census US Census County Business Patterns 2022 (county file, NAICS 2017)), ranked within each commodity so a high-tonnage, low-headcount industry like aggregates competes fairly with a high-headcount one. It is a screening signal, not measured tonnage: CBP counts industry presence, not railcars, and does not prove a lane is uncontested. Directional by design — use it to decide where to look, then confirm with the railroad and local volumes. Data as of 2026-07-19.

Frequently asked questions

What is a transload siting gap?

A place where three things line up: it sits on a Class-I railroad, it has real bulk-freight demand (concentrated bulk industry), and there is no open-access rail-to-truck transloader handling that commodity within a normal truck-dray radius. In a gap, shippers truck their freight farther than they should because the nearest terminal that can take their commodity is too far to make railing worth it. It's an underserved lane — and a candidate site for a new transload terminal.

How is a gap identified?

For every US county we take its population-weighted center, check that it is within about 20 miles of a Class-I main line using the FRA / BTS North American Rail Network, and measure its bulk-industry concentration by commodity from the U.S. Census County Business Patterns. Then we find the nearest open-access transloader that handles that commodity in Rebulk's directory of 2,000+ facilities. If that nearest terminal is more than ~75 miles away and the demand is meaningful, the county is flagged as a gap and ranked by how much demand sits how far from coverage.

Is the demand real freight tonnage?

No — and we're explicit about that. It's a bulk-industry demand proxy: the count of establishments and employment in commodity-generating industries (grain and feed processing, wood and paper, chemicals and plastics, cement and aggregates, primary metals, and so on) by county. Census counts industry presence, not railcars, and doesn't separate inbound from outbound freight. So treat a gap as a screening signal that says 'look here,' not a guarantee that a specific lane is uncontested. Confirm with the railroad and local volumes before acting.

Why would a commodity matter for a gap?

Because a transloader that handles plastic pellets in covered hoppers can't help a shipper of liquid asphalt, and a grain elevator can't transload steel coil. Coverage is commodity-specific, so a gap is too. We rank each county against other counties within the same commodity, so a low-headcount, high-tonnage industry like sand and gravel competes fairly with a high-headcount one like grain and feed processing, rather than being buried by it.

I operate a shortline or transload terminal — how do I use this?

Each ranked area is bulk-freight demand with no open-access competitor nearby: a starting point for where new transload capacity, or a rail-served industrial site, would have a built-in customer base. Use the commodity and state filters to find gaps on or near your line, then dig into the local shippers. When you build there, Rebulk is the software the terminal runs on — railcar tracking, BOL and scale-ticket automation, demurrage clocks, and live bulk inventory.

I'm a shipper — how do I use this?

If your origin or destination county shows up here, you're probably draying farther than you need to. Run your lane through the Rail Transload Planner to see the nearest open-access terminal that handles your commodity, the truck dray it implies, and whether railing the long haul still beats all-truck at that distance.

Transload Siting Gaps

Rail access plus demand, minus coverage

A directional tool, honestly