Modesto and Empire Traction Company

What Modesto and Empire Traction Company does

Modesto and Empire Traction Company (MET Railroad) is a privately held, family-owned short-line freight railroad that has operated continuously since 1911 within the 2,000-acre Beard Industrial District in Modesto, California. The company owns and operates a 55-mile rail network consisting of a 5-mile main line and approximately 50 miles of internal track within the District, serving roughly 35 enterprise customers concentrated in food and beverage manufacturing within Stanislaus County. MET Railroad's core product is freight rail transportation, augmented by transload services at a Modesto facility featuring 7,000 feet of transload track, a 110-car unit train track, full concrete aprons, controlled storm drainage, and 24/7 card lock fuel, plus rail infrastructure access for industrial customers. The business reaches continental scope through daily interchange partnerships with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, enabling shippers to move freight across the United States, Canada, and Mexico without MET itself operating long-haul routes.

The company's underlying technology is conventional short-line rail operations: a fleet of diesel-powered locomotives (9 RailPower units purchased 2008-2012, currently being upgraded to Tier 4 emission standards via federal CRISI grants awarded in 2022 and 2023, the latter valued at $12.2 million), a fixed track network, and standardized safety and operating protocols. The Beard family retains ownership through Beard Land & Investment Co., the parent holding company, and Beard Land Improvement Company serves as a sister subsidiary incorporated in 1963. Management is led by President & CEO Dillon Olvera, SVP & CFO David Folly, VP of Marketing & Sales Tracy Alves, and VP of Rail Operations Jared Martin (who also serves on the ASLRRA Pacific Region board). The company operates 7 days per week with scheduled crews and publishes standardized tariffs (Freight Tariff 8000-C, Demurrage Tariff 9500-B).

Revenue mechanics are transaction-based: customers pay per shipment for line-haul rail freight and per-unit fees for transload services, governed by published rather than negotiated pricing. The go-to-market approach is sales-led and relationship-driven, with no digital self-serve or e-commerce channels; customer acquisition relies on the geographic captivity of the Beard Industrial District, the dual Class 1 interchange advantage, and the company's 110-year community reputation. Marketing channels include the corporate website (metrr.com), ASLRRA trade association participation, and community involvement with local organizations. Recent strategic emphasis has been on federally subsidized fleet modernization, transload capability expansion, and safety excellence, rather than on aggressive new-customer acquisition or geographic expansion.

Name

Modesto and Empire Traction Company

Legal name

Modesto and Empire Traction Company

Website

https://metrr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Modesto and Empire Traction Company (MET Railroad) is a family-owned short-line railroad operating since 1911 within Modesto's 2,000-acre Beard Industrial District, providing freight rail and transload services to approximately 35 food and beverage customers with dual Class 1 interchange access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Short-line Rail Freight Services

NAICS

Short Line Railroads (482112), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Short Line & Regional Railroads (General Merchandise) (TLADACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Terminal Railroads (Plant/Port Switching) (TLADACAJ), Bulk Commodity Railroads (Coal/Grain/Ore/Aggregates) (TLADACAA)

Keywords

• Short-line railroad
• Freight rail services
• Transload services
• Rail infrastructure access
• Industrial rail shipping

Headquarters

HQ city

Modesto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Freight Rail Services: Core rail freight transportation services providing shipping across continental United States, Canada, and Mexico through daily interchanges with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. Operates 7 days per week with scheduled crews.
2. Transload Services: Transload operations at Modesto facility with 7000' transload track, 110-car unit train track, full concrete aprons, paving between rail, controlled storm drainage, on-site 24/7 card lock fuel. Services include handling various commodities for customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Modesto and Empire Traction Company (MET Railroad) operates as a Class III short-line railroad providing freight rail transportation, transload services, and rail infrastructure access to local industries within the 2,000-acre Beard Industrial District in Modesto, California. The company offers daily interchanges with Class 1 railroads BNSF Railway and Union Pacific, enabling shippers to reach markets across the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Product overview

MET Railroad operates as a short-line freight railroad offering three integrated services: freight rail transportation with daily interchanges to Class 1 railroads BNSF and Union Pacific, transload services at their Modesto facility, and access to extensive rail infrastructure within the Beard Industrial District. The company has operated since 1911 as a family-owned business serving primarily food and beverage companies in Stanislaus County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freight Rail Services Core freight rail transportation service providing rail shipping across the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico through daily interchanges with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific. Operations run 7 days per week with scheduled crews.
• Transload Services Transload and logistics services at the Modesto, California facility featuring a 7,000-foot transload track, 110-car unit train track, full concrete aprons, paving between rail, controlled storm drainage, and on-site 24/7 card lock fuel station.
• Rail Infrastructure Access Access to a 5-mile main line and 50 miles of track within the 2,000-acre Beard Industrial District, providing seamless rail shipping capabilities and industrial track access for customers in the Modesto, California area.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BNSF RailwaycoreTechnology or IntegrationDaily interchange operations with BNSF Railway for seamless rail shipping across the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico. BNSF Shortline Caucus includes MET Railroad, with President & CEO Dillon Olvera serving as a member.
• Union PacificcoreTechnology or IntegrationDual access to Union Pacific for rail shipping services. Daily interchanges allow MET Railroad customers to reach markets across the continent through UP connections.
• Beard Land Improvement CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company and subsidiary of Beard Land & Investment Co. Both entities share the Beard family legacy and work together to serve the Beard Industrial District. MET Railroad positions itself as a long-term partner alongside Beard Land Improvement Company.
• American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMET Railroad is an active member of ASLRRA. Jared Martin serves as Pacific Region Board Member, and Matt Carne received the 2026 Safety Professional of the Year award. The association honors member railroads at annual conferences for safety, environmental stewardship, and industry contributions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Genesee & Wyoming Inc. One of the largest short-line and regional railroad operators in North America, with a portfolio spanning freight switching and line-haul services across multiple industries. Directly comparable to MET as a short-line operator serving industrial customers with Class 1 interchanges.
• Watco Companies: Privately held operator of 40+ short-line railroads across the US, providing freight rail, transload, and industrial switching services. Comparable business model to MET as a multi-region short-line holding company serving industrial shippers.

Direct peers

• San Joaquin Valley Railroad: Operates over 300 miles of track in California's Central Valley, connecting agricultural and industrial shippers to Class 1 railroads including BNSF and Union Pacific. Direct geographic and operational peer to MET given shared California agricultural customer base and dual Class 1 interchange model.
• California Northern Railroad: Short-line railroad operating in Northern California with Class 1 interchanges serving agricultural and industrial customers. Comparable to MET as a California-based short-line serving food/beverage and industrial customers in shared operating geography.
• Sierra Northern Railway: California short-line railroad operating freight and industrial switching services in the Central Valley and Sierra region. Comparable to MET in scale, business mix, and industrial switching focus with overlapping customer industries.
• OmniTRAX: One of the largest privately held short-line railroad operators in North America, managing 20+ railroads serving industrial and agricultural customers. Comparable to MET as a holding-company-style short-line operator with industrial switching operations.
• Patriot Rail Company: Operates a portfolio of short-line railroads across the US providing freight rail and transload services to industrial customers. Comparable to MET as a small-footprint short-line operator with industrial customer focus.
• Anacostia Rail Holdings: Short-line railroad holding company operating multiple regional and industrial railroads with Class 1 interchange relationships. Comparable to MET as a smaller-scale short-line operator with industrial customer base and similar operating profile.

Regional players

• Iowa Interstate Railroad: Regional railroad providing line-haul freight services connecting Midwest industrial and agricultural customers to Class 1 railroads. Comparable to MET in business model (Class 1 interchange, industrial/agricultural customers) but operates on a larger geographic footprint in a different region.

Others

• American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association: Industry trade association representing North American short-line and regional railroads. Comparable as the primary industry body in which MET holds board representation and through which it secures safety recognition and federal grant advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/metrr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/modesto-and-empire-traction-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Modesto and Empire Traction Company