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OmniTRAX EVP Nathan Brown said “Our agreement with Coast Belle Rail Corporation marks our first rail joint venture acquisition. As a multi-generational, privately held company, OmniTRAX has the capacity to create deal structures like this that can preserve the benefits of local involvement and knowledge.”

“The Santa Maria Railroad has been vital to the valley for decades and this new partnership adds the resources, relationships, and real estate development capacities to ensure that this century old railroad continues to serve Californians for generations to come,” said Santa Maria Valley Railroad President Rob Himoto.

Coast Belle Rail Corporation has been the local owner of the 114-year-old Santa Maria Railroad for the past two decades. The railroad’s system consists of 14.7 miles of main line track interchanging with the Union Pacific Railroad in Guadalupe that serves commercial and commodity customers in the Santa Maria Valley.

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This story was published in the January 15, 2025 issue of Railway Age.  Below is a brief summary of the article — click here for the full story and links to additional information.

California has withdrawn its pending waiver and authorization requests that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet acted on. In a win for railroads, this includes the In-Use Locomotive Regulation.

The In-Use Locomotive Regulation that had been up for EPA review would have banned any locomotive that is 23 years or older from operating in California starting in 2030 and required that new locomotives only operate in the state if they are “zero-emissions locomotives,” beginning in 2030 for switcher, industrial and passenger locomotives and 2035 for line haul locomotives.

“While we are disappointed that the U.S. EPA was unable to act on all the requests in time, the withdrawal is an important step, given the uncertainty presented by the incoming Administration that previously attacked California’s programs to protect public health and the climate and has said will continue to oppose those programs,” California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane M. Randolph said in a statement issued to Railway Age on Jan. 14. “CARB is assessing its option to continue its progress as part of its commitment to move forward the important work of improving the state’s air quality and reducing harmful pollutants that contribute to poor health outcomes and worsen climate change. The waivers and authorizations recently approved [including, in part, the Commercial Harbor Craft Rule], along with other existing programs, will advance essential emissions reductions in key sectors as we assess next steps. It’s clear that the public health, air quality and climate challenges that California faces require urgent action. We are ready and committed to continuing the important work of building a clean air future.”