Palmetto State Relying on Freight Rail to Meet Growth Challenges
Daily express rail service from CSX and Norfolk Southern helps the Port of Charleston take advantage of the deepest water in the southeast region. Freight rail service also helps the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer boost efficiency between the Port of Charleston and companies across the Southeast while bringing new economic investment in South Carolina Upstate. Freight rail service maximizes tonnage moved per gallon of fuel for importers and exporters, while reducing the number of trucks that would otherwise be required to move freight inland and creating economic development across the state.
South Carolina's 10 freight railroads operate over 2,191 miles of track and employ 1,237 in the Palmetto State.* It would have taken approximately 3.5 million additional trucks to handle the 62.2 million tons of freight that started, ended, or moved through South Carolina in 2021. Moving freight by rail prevented 2.41 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 472,000 cars off the road or planting 36.5 million trees. Intermodal and chemicals comprise the majority of freight rail shipments both beginning and ending in South Carolina.
*2021 data
