USA: MassDOT has opened the $5.6 million East Deerfield transload facility in Massachusetts, creating a new rail-to-truck transfer point for intermodal containers and regional last-mile freight connections.

MassDOT Opens East Deerfield Transload Facility
The new transload facility improves last-mile connections and access to intermodal rail services in the region, MassDOT officials said.
Photo: MassDOT

The agency marked the opening on July 21 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the East Deerfield Rail Yard. The new facility allows containers to be transferred between trains and trucks inside the yard, giving regional freight customers access to intermodal rail for the road-based final leg of a shipment.

The site lies along the Interstate 91 and Route 2 corridors. It has traditionally served as a switching yard and a maintenance base for the Knowledge Corridor, which carries the state-supported Amtrak Vermonter and Valley Flyer services.

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Eight tracks upgraded for intermodal operations

According to MassDOT’s official project announcement, four of the eight existing yard tracks received new rail, ties and turnouts to enable intermodal loading and unloading. The other four were rehabilitated for the receipt and delivery of railcars serving nearby freight customers and for staging at the new transfer facility.

MassDOT also converted part of a material and vehicle storage area into truck access for loading and unloading containers. The work included minor site grading and a compacted roadway base made from dense-graded crushed stone instead of pavement.

The truck route consolidates use of the yard’s at-grade crossings and its entrance on McClelland Farm Road. This gives road vehicles a defined path through an active rail site while supporting the new transfer operation.

Federal funding covers 80% of project cost

Federal funding covered 80% of the $5.6 million project, while Massachusetts paid the remaining 20%.

“MassDOT is pleased to support upgrades at the East Deerfield Rail Yard, which will expand freight capabilities along this vital corridor,” said MassDOT Rail and Transit Administrator Meredith Slesinger.

The completed works add a freight-transfer function to a yard that continues to support switching and maintenance activity. Rail can handle the longer-distance portion of a container movement, while trucks provide local collection and delivery beyond the terminal.

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