Constitution State Looks to Freight Rail to Boost Economy, Ease Highway Congestion

Connecticut officials are banking on freight rail investments to reduce transportation costs and roadway congestion while also helping the economy and creating jobs. Steps to modernize freight rail infrastructure will link Connecticut to the national freight rail network, boosting existing businesses and luring new companies to Connecticut.

Connecticut's nine freight railroads operate over 571 miles of track and employ 111 in the Constitution State.* It would have taken approximately 78,000 additional truckloads to move the 1.4 million tons of freight that moved by rail in Connecticut in 2021. Moving freight by rail prevented 519,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 102,000 cars off the road or planting 7.86 million trees. Nonmetallic minerals and waste and scrap make up the majority of freight rail shipments beginning in Connecticut. Primary metal products are the largest rail imports to the state.

*2021 data

Rail at Work

Connecticut

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Featured Rail Advocates

Connecticut
Rick Dunne
Rick Dunne
Executive Director, Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
Michael McLachlan
Michael McLachlan
Connecticut State Senator

Featured Rail Supply Companies

Connecticut

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NRCMA

icon_railfreight

44 percent
decrease

in rail rates on average from 1981 to today.


That means the average rail customer today can ship significantly more freight for about the same price they paid 40 years ago. 

State Director

Connecticut
Emily Traiforos

Emily Traiforos

State Director

Emily Traiforos joined GoRail in March 2006 and oversees its operations in the Upper Midwest and Colorado.