BALTIMORE, MD—The Port of Baltimore has launched double-stacking rail operations, a major milestone for the Howard Street Tunnel Project that is expected to create thousands of jobs and significantly enhance the port’s competitiveness.

Governor Wes Moore, who commended the launch, said the project is opening new opportunities for intermodal rail service in the Northeast and from the Port of Baltimore to Midwest markets.

“This is a great day for the Port of Baltimore and a great day for Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “As the Port of Baltimore continues to grow, this transformational project will help increase business activity and create thousands of new jobs. In partnership, we are creating new pathways to work, wages, and wealth for all.”

The double-stacking of containers will allow the port to grow its business by about 160,000 containers annually and create 13,000 new jobs in construction and operations.

The Howard Street Tunnel Project includes reconstructing the 129-year-old tunnel in Baltimore and 21 other locations in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania to increase vertical clearance by 18 inches to allow double-stacked container trains to and from the Port of Baltimore.

Double-stack rail service on a temporary route between the Port and the Midwest is possible thanks to completed vertical clearance improvements at rail bridges north of Baltimore, though construction continues at other Maryland sites until 2026.

“This is a significant milestone for intermodal rail service between Baltimore and Midwest markets and wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing collaboration between our federal, state, and local project partners,” said CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hinrichs. “This underscores our broader commitment to enhancing service efficiency and safely expanding our network capabilities through the Howard Street Tunnel project, allowing for greater efficiency in this critical corridor.”

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin said double-stacking opens a release valve on the Port of Baltimore, bringing its freight infrastructure into the 21st century and boosting efficiency while creating thousands of jobs.

“We know that the Port of Baltimore is the best in the country— we’ve got the ideal location and the best workforce of any port in America, and this launch proves it once again,” said Senator Cardin. “Collaborative efforts between federal government, state and private partners have made this long-awaited project possible. This is a big win for Baltimore, Maryland, and the entire nation.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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