Rail-Served Port Warehousing & Breakbulk Terminals
24 U.S. port terminal complexes where on-dock, rail-served warehouse
space is published by the port authority itself — covered storage at
the berth with track to (and in several cases inside) the building, and the serving
railroad named for each. As far as we know this is the only assembled national
directory of rail-served port warehousing with the serving railroads listed.
Why it matters for breakbulk: steel, forest products, project cargo and bagged goods
rarely move vessel-to-railcar on the same day. On-dock rail-served warehousing lets
you store between the vessel and the railcar and make one
drayage-free handoff inside the terminal — no truck leg to an off-port
warehouse, no second lift at a separate rail yard. For a shipper deciding where to
move breakbulk through, the questions are which ports have covered rail-served
storage and which railroads can pick it up. Both answers are on this page.
How port terminal railways work
Most major breakbulk ports are switched by a port terminal railway
— a short switching railroad, usually port-owned or jointly owned by the Class
I's, that runs the trackage on the docks and interchanges with the main-line
carriers. Mobile has the Terminal Railway TASD, New Orleans the New Orleans Public
Belt (NOPB), Houston the Port Terminal Railroad Association (PTRA). The practical
effect: one terminal railway connecting multiple Class I's means your cargo
is not captive to a single carrier — the port switch pulls the cars off the
dock and hands them to whichever main-line railroad wins your lane. When you compare
ports below, look at how many Class I's the terminal railway reaches; it is one of
the biggest levers on rate competition out of a port.
Gulf Coast
Facility specs on every card come from the port authority's own published materials.
Alabama Port Authority — Port of Mobile General Cargo Warehouses
Mobile, AL
2.4 million sq ft of rail-served covered warehouse space plus 2.4 million sq ft of open storage and 55+ acres of laydown across the general cargo complex. Rail: Terminal Railway TASD (port-owned, 75 mi; connects BNSF, CN, CPKC, CSX, NS + AGR, CG Railway, Alabama Export). Cargo: Steel, forest products, heavy machinery, wind components, breakbulk
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: 1-888-251-5755
Port of New Orleans — Breakbulk Terminals & Transit Sheds
New Orleans, LA
1.6 million sq ft of transit shed area across six breakbulk terminals with railroad spurs at the docks. Rail: New Orleans Public Belt (NOPB, port-owned; connects all 6 Class I's). Cargo: Steel, non-ferrous metals, rubber, wood/paper, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (504) 522-2551
Port Houston — Turning Basin / City Docks General Cargo Complex
Houston, TX
Largest breakbulk/steel/project-cargo complex in North America: 20,000+ ft of berth, transit sheds and laydown, rail-served via PTRA switching. Rail: Port Terminal Railroad Association (PTRA; switches for BNSF, UP, CPKC). Cargo: Steel, project/heavy-lift, wind, grain, breakbulk
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (713) 670-2400
Port of Beaumont — Covered Storage & Dockside Rail
Beaumont, TX
500,000+ sq ft of covered storage over 98 acres with on-dock rail access. Rail: 48 mi port-owned switching railroad; interchanges UP, BNSF, CPKC. Cargo: Breakbulk, military/project cargo, forest products, metals, bulk
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (409) 835-5367
Port of Lake Charles — City Docks Warehousing
Lake Charles, LA
1.6+ million sq ft of covered storage at the 200-acre City Docks (12 berths), most warehouses rail-serviced. Rail: Port Rail, Inc. (port short line; connects UP, BNSF, CPKC). Cargo: Bagged rice/ag products, forest products, breakbulk, wind components
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (337) 439-3661
Mississippi State Port at Gulfport — East Pier Warehouses
Gulfport, MS
Shed 50 (230,000 sq ft) and Shed 53 (60,240 sq ft) with direct rail access, within ~400,000 sq ft total port warehousing. Rail: CPKC (formerly KCS). Cargo: Refrigerated containers, breakbulk, Ro/Ro
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (228) 865-4300
Port of Pascagoula — Forest Products Transit Sheds
Pascagoula, MS
Two 174,870 sq ft transit sheds with INSIDE rail spurs (CSA-operated), plus Terminal D (158,550 sq ft) and Terminal H (175,000 sq ft) warehouses. Rail: CSX direct; CN via Mississippi Export short line. Cargo: Forest products (lumber, paper), breakbulk
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (228) 762-4041
Port Tampa Bay — On-Dock Breakbulk Warehousing
Tampa, FL
~500,000 sq ft of on-dock warehouse and laydown for breakbulk with dock-side rail and heavy-lift cranes. Rail: CSX. Cargo: Steel (Florida's largest steel port), forest products, construction materials
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (813) 905-7678
South Atlantic
South Carolina Ports — Columbus Street Terminal
Charleston, SC
Three on-dock rail-served warehouses: Bldg 105 (165,099 sq ft), Bldg 108 (94,050 sq ft), Bldg 186 (100,000 sq ft). Rail: CSX and Norfolk Southern (direct). Cargo: Breakbulk, Ro/Ro, project cargo (cranes to 500 net tons)
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (843) 577-8786
Georgia Ports — Mayor's Point Terminal (Brunswick)
Brunswick, GA
405,000 sq ft covered storage with a warehouse-connected rail dock (32-railcar capacity); new 100,000 sq ft warehouse in progress. Rail: CSX and Norfolk Southern (direct). Cargo: Forest products, iron, steel, pipe, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (912) 963-5526
JAXPORT — Talleyrand & Blount Island On-Dock Warehousing
Jacksonville, FL
~1 million sq ft combined on-dock warehousing (Talleyrand 700,000+ sq ft; Blount Island 240,000 sq ft shed + 90,000 sq ft CFS). Rail: Jacksonville Port Terminal Railroad (switches to CSX and NS; FEC also serves Jacksonville). Cargo: Forest products, breakbulk, heavy lift, Ro/Ro
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (904) 357-3000
Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
Port of Baltimore — Dundalk Marine Terminal (MPA)
Baltimore, MD
Ten storage sheds totaling 789,820 sq ft with 8+ miles of rail inside the secure terminal and a 24/7 rail gate. Rail: Norfolk Southern direct; CSX via interchange. Cargo: Breakbulk, forest products, ro-ro, autos, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (800) 638-7519
PhilaPort — Tioga Marine Terminal
Philadelphia, PA
800,000+ sq ft of on-dock warehousing incl. a new forest-products warehouse with INDOOR rail loading for ten railcars; 3,000 ft on-terminal siding. Rail: CSX and Norfolk Southern. Cargo: Forest products, steel, breakbulk, over-dimensional cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (215) 426-2600
Port of Wilmington (Enstructure)
Wilmington, DE
1M+ sq ft of cold-storage and ambient warehousing incl. 20M cu ft cold storage, with in-port Class I rail service. Rail: Norfolk Southern in-port; CSX connections. Cargo: Perishables, breakbulk, forest products, steel, ro-ro, bulk
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (302) 472-7679
Port of Virginia — Newport News Marine Terminal
Newport News, VA
1M+ sq ft of covered storage, 60+ acres outside storage, 18,990 ft of on-dock rail with direct CSX service. Rail: CSX direct on-dock; NS transfer via Richmond. Cargo: Breakbulk and ro-ro (the port's main breakbulk facility), heavy-lift
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Port of Albany-Rensselaer
Albany, NY
350,000 sq ft of covered sprinklered storage; wharf connected by on-dock spur to the CSX/CPKC mains via the Albany Port Railroad (20-mi switching, CSX/CPKC JV). Rail: Albany Port Railroad → CSX and CPKC. Cargo: Heavy-lift/project cargo, steel, forest products, wood pulp, grain
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (518) 463-8763
West Coast
Port of Longview
Longview, WA
~196,700 sq ft of on-dock transit sheds plus ~512,300 sq ft off-dock warehousing, rail access at Berths 1-7 via the Industrial Rail Corridor. Rail: Longview Switching Co. (BNSF/UP joint venture) — dual-served. Cargo: Breakbulk, project cargo, steel, forest products, bulk
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (360) 425-3305
Port of Vancouver USA
Vancouver, WA
500,000+ sq ft of covered storage plus 100+ acres laydown on 42 miles of internal port rail (~350,000 railcars/yr). Rail: BNSF and UP direct mainline; CN and CPKC connections. Cargo: Breakbulk, heavy-lift, wind energy, steel, autos, bulk, grain
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (360) 693-3611
Port of Stockton
Stockton, CA
7.7 million sq ft of port-operated and leased warehousing served by two transcontinental railroads over internal port trackage. Rail: BNSF and UP on-port; Central California Traction + Stockton Terminal & Eastern short lines. Cargo: Breakbulk, steel, bagged goods, bulk, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (209) 946-0246
Great Lakes & Inland River
Port of Cleveland — General Cargo Terminal (Logistec)
Cleveland, OH
320,000 sq ft of indoor warehouse on the 80-acre General Cargo Facility with on-dock connection to two Class I railroads. Rail: CSX and Norfolk Southern on-dock. Cargo: Steel, heavy machinery, wind components, breakbulk, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (216) 241-8004
Port Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
330,000+ sq ft covered warehouse (incl. ~30,000 sq ft heated + insulated steel shed with overhead crane); UP/CPKC direct pier delivery over 14 mi of port trackage. Rail: Union Pacific and CPKC (direct pier delivery). Cargo: Steel, breakbulk, heavy-lift, dry bulk, grain
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Duluth Seaway Port Authority — Clure Public Marine Terminal
Duluth, MN
650,000+ sq ft warehouse capacity on the 120-acre Clure terminal with direct access to FOUR Class I carriers (Duluth Cargo Connect). Rail: BNSF, CN, CPKC, UP (switching agreement). Cargo: Breakbulk, wind components, heavy-lift, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (218) 727-8525
Ports of Indiana — Burns Harbor
Portage, IN
640,000 sq ft across five warehouses plus a new 84,000 sq ft warehouse opening 2026; 12-mi shortline switches the port. Rail: Burns Harbor Railroad → NS, CSX, UP, BNSF, CN, CPKC, IHB. Cargo: Steel (~80% of volume), breakbulk, bulk, grain, project cargo
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (800) 232-7678
America's Central Port
Granite City, IL
Rail-served warehouses incl. Warehouse 5 (129,600 sq ft, flush rail-dock); barge-rail-truck campus with access to all six Class I's via TRRA. Rail: Port Harbor Railroad (24/7 switching) → all six Class I's via TRRA. Cargo: Barge-rail-truck transload, general cargo, steel, ag products
Specs from the port authority's own published materials.
Phone: (618) 877-8444
Frequently asked questions
What is breakbulk cargo?
Breakbulk is cargo that moves as individual pieces rather than in a shipping
container or loose in a bulk hold — steel coils and plate, lumber and paper
rolls, project cargo, machinery, wind components, bagged goods on pallets. Each
piece is lifted, stowed and stored individually, which is why breakbulk terminals
are built around transit sheds, laydown yards and heavy-lift cranes rather than
container stacks.
What does “on-dock rail” mean at a port warehouse?
On-dock rail means track runs to the warehouse or berth itself, so cargo transfers
between vessel, shed and railcar inside the terminal — no truck drayage leg
between the port and a separate rail yard. Some facilities in this directory go
further and run spurs inside the building (Pascagoula's transit sheds,
PhilaPort's forest-products warehouse), so railcars load and unload under roof.
How do I get a rail rate from a port to my plant?
Use our free Rail Rate Quote estimator and
Rail Transit Time tool — both accept
port locations like “Port of Mobile” or “Port of Stockton”
directly as an origin, and your plant, warehouse or city as the destination. The
estimates are indicative, not binding — they show what the lane should roughly
cost and how long it should take so you can compare routings before talking to
carriers. For a workable carrier rate on a real move,
contact us and we will run the lane.
Who operates port warehouses?
It varies. Some warehouses are owned and operated by the port authority itself; many
are run by terminal operators or stevedores under lease or concession (Logistec at
Cleveland, Enstructure at Wilmington); others are leased to private 3PLs. The port
authority is usually the right first call — they publish the facility specs
cited on this page and can direct you to the operator handling your commodity.
How this directory is compiled. Every facility on this page is a port
authority (or port terminal operator) whose own published materials
state rail-served warehouse or transit-shed space — square footage, serving
railroad and cargo focus are taken from those materials, not inferred from a map.
This list is not exhaustive. A port missing from it has not been
ruled out; it means we have not yet confirmed published rail-served warehouse specs
for it. Steel Wheel Logistics does not own or operate these facilities and a listing
does not imply a commercial relationship. Confirm current availability, siding
condition and handling capabilities with the port — or
ask us and we will confirm it for you. Looking for inland
rail-served storage instead? See the
state-by-state warehouse directory, or the
transload facility directory for rail-to-truck transfer.
Price the rail leg out of the port
Both our free tools accept “Port of Mobile”, “Port of
Stockton” and other port locations directly as origins:
the Rail Rate Quote tool for an indicative
rate on the lane, and the Rail Transit Time
tool for how long the move should take.
Deciding which port to route breakbulk through — or need the warehouse,
the switch and the line-haul actually booked? We run rail for shippers without a
rail department. Talk to us about your lane or call
(601) 821-2199.
