March 17, 2025 - TRA Newswire - 

Brent Hall, CEO of County Line Rail Operations and a FRA certified engineer and conductor, will have his work cut out for him bringing back to life the Sabine River and Northern Railroad (SRN), a 40-mile short line in Southeast Texas. 

County Line, which operates railyards in Mont Belvieu, Buna, and Silsbee Texas, announced the acquisition of the SRN, which operates just north of Orange, Beaumont and Port Arthur Texas major petrochemical hub. Hall and staff will be looking for new business opportunities as the primary customer, the International Paper containerboard plant north of Orange, shutdown at the end of 2023. 

In a news release from County Rail, it was stated "This strategic acquisition strengthens CLR’s commitment to supporting regional businesses, expanding freight services, and enhancing local rail infrastructure."

“We are excited at the opportunity to expand our rail footprint in East Texas and provide support for the region’s continued economic growth,” said Ben Brosseau, Chief Executive Officer of CLR. “CLR will revitalize this underutilized asset and offer first-rate rail service on the triple-served short line. With our planned upgrades meeting Class II standards, the SRN will alleviate rail congestion around Beaumont and offer railcar services including storage, transloading, cleaning, and Class I access.”  

SRN offers freight service from Bessmay to Echo, TX with a branch line from Buna to Evadale, TX. It connects to three major Class I railroads – Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Union Pacific, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe – pretty much a rarity to allow any shipper it's pick of the crop for shipping and receiving product.

Hall will oversee the day-to-day operations for SRN. He is a Houston native with nearly 30 years of experience managing and operating railroads. 

As part of the acquisition, CLR has also secured:

·       A storage yard and loop track in Orange known as the Mulford Yard, located near the U.S. Gypsum manufacturing facility formerly operated by International Paper.

·     100 acres of developable land adjacent to SRN which will be made available for sale or lease to businesses seeking direct rail service.

·       A connection to CLR’s Buna storage yard, currently offering railcar storage, transloading and outdoor industrial storage.

The Sabine River and Northern Railroad was incorporated in 1965 with construction completed and service started in 1966 from Echo to Mulford. Service was extended to Mauriceville and Bessmay in 1967 and a branch to Evadale began in 1988.

Photo credit: setxrailfan / railroadforums.com