Severstal Sparrows Point utilizes rail access on a daily basis to support its operations and thousands of jobs that bolster the Baltimore economy.
Severstal Sparrows Point facility an example of freight rail’s power
Maryland has long been a leading area of economic development for the United States. The Baltimore County region — which includes Baltimore County and Baltimore City, remains Maryland’s primary economic engine and a focal point for rail activity throughout the area.
At the center of every economic area are the jobs created by constituent businesses. Maryland’s nine freight railroads and two passenger carriers employ more than 4,900 individuals and support nearly 9,000 retirees. This latter number is a testament to the long history of rail that began with the landmark First Stone of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1828.
The 757 route-miles of rail lines in Maryland support thousands of ancillary jobs — in sectors ranging from steelmaking to foodservice. A very prominent example of these jobs is the 2,452 employed by the Severstal Sparrows Point facility located in Baltimore County.
Severstal Sparrows Point has produced steel since 1889 and even boasts its own rail carrier, the Patapsco & Back River Railroad. The plant is sustained by its location at the Port of Baltimore, which includes access to the U.S. freight railroad network.
While Maryland and many states in the Eastern United States have struggled to maintain strong industrial capabilities, Severstal Sparrows Point is an industrial crown jewel that utilizes its rail access on a daily basis to support its operations — and thousands of jobs that bolster an evolving Baltimore-area economy.