Pelican State Economy Soars on Freight Rail
Louisiana’s railroads play an essential role in connecting local companies and communities to markets throughout North America. Recent soaring growth in Louisiana’s petrochemical industry would not be possible without these key freight rail connections.
Louisiana's 20 freight railroads operate over 3,001 miles of track and employ 2,600 in the Pelican State.* It would have taken approximately 7.3 million additional trucks to handle the 131.3 million tons of freight that started, ended, or moved through Louisiana in 2021. Moving freight by rail prevented 8.87 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 1.74 million cars off the road or planting 134.3 million trees. Chemicals make up the majority of freight rail shipments beginning in Louisiana. Crude oil and chemicals are the largest rail imports to the state.
*2021 data
