The Tri-City Railroad (TCRY) was a privately owned Class III railroad founded by Randolph Peterson in 1999.

Tri-City Railroad
Overview
HeadquartersKennewick, Washington
Reporting markTCRY
LocaleTri-Cities, Washington
Dates of operation1999–2022
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Other
Websitehttp://www.tcry.com

The rail line Tri-City Railroad operates on is located in Richland, Washington and owned by the Port of Benton. Called the Southern Connection, it was constructed between 1949 and 1950 as a link to the rail lines inside the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.[1]

Tri-City Railroad contracted with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2005 to assist in developing the Radiation Portal Monitoring System technology for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's use at railroad border crossings nationwide. In 2014, it contracted with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to assist in testing for shock and vibration in the movement of spent nuclear fuel by rail.

In 2011, Tri-City began operating on Mare Island in California.[2]

In June 2022, the Port of Benton ended its relationship with Tri-City Railroad after a Benton County court found it had breached the terms of its 2002 lease and failed to maintain the tracks.[3] The railroad ceased operations in July 2022. In February 2023, the Port of Benton contracted with Columbia Rail Group, based in Walla Walla, Washington, to operate and maintain the tracks formerly managed by the Tri-City Railroad.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Hanford's Southern Connection Rail Line - HistoryLink.org". www.historylink.org. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  2. ^ "TCRY to provide Mare Island rail service - Railway Track and Structures".
  3. ^ Culverwell, Wendy (13 July 2022). "Tri-City Railroad Co. evicted from Richland railroad". Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business. Kennewick, WA. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  4. ^ Stagl, Jeff (21 February 2023). "Columbia Rail Group lands service contract at fourth port". Progressive Railroading. Retrieved 16 September 2024.