Indiana’s Green Express

Indiana’s railways will soon be carrying a different type of cargo along the tracks – fresh food.

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A new rail line, the Green Express, has been developed by CSX to move frozen and refrigerated products from northwest Indiana to Tampa, Fla., with several stops in between. This is good news for Hoosier farmers, as the transportation line will give them a direct connection to markets in the Southeast. It also opens the door to international opportunities, with products being able to be loaded onto export ships out of Tampa.

The route for the Green Express will begin at the INland Logistics Port in Kingsbury, where it will connect to a main CSX rail line located a mile south.

Along with fresh fruits and vegetables, the Green Express will carry dairy and meat products from Indiana. The state may even become a new destination for imported produce such as pineapples, mangos and avocados that have been delivered to the southeastern U.S., creating a possibility for new jobs in the processing industry.

“The Green Express opens up trade doors for Indiana agriculture,” says Gina Sheets, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “The availability for Indiana agriculture products to reach the southeast and a global market faster and fresh makes our products very appealing to a broader customer base.”

The reliability of the rail line also makes it appealing. Time is critical in moving fresh food from one place to another, as there are risks of spoilage and contamination. The Green Express has state-of-the-art technology that monitors the food in areas including temperature and contamination control. In fact, the service is even offering trip history temperature downloads to its customers.

For more information about the Green Express, visit grnexp.com.