Transtar
Transtar, LLC operates seven Class III freight railroads across the U.S. industrial heartland, providing switching, transportation, storage, transloading, maintenance, and industrial development services primarily to steel manufacturers and industrial customers, anchored by U.S. Steel contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersFairfield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Transtar does
Transtar, LLC is a holding company that operates a network of seven Class III freight railroads across the U.S. industrial heartland, providing rail transportation, switching, storage, transloading, maintenance and repair, and industrial development services. The company's seven operating subsidiaries are Delray Connecting Railroad (Michigan, 15 miles of track), East Ohio Valley Railway (Ohio, 29 miles), Fairfield Southern Company (Alabama, in-plant at U.S. Steel Fairfield), Gary Railway Company (Indiana, 71 miles of yard track at U.S. Steel Gary Works), The Lake Terminal Railroad Company (Ohio, serving Republic Engineered Products and U.S. Steel Lorain Tubular Operations), Texas & Northern Railway Company (Texas, 7.6 route miles plus 32 miles of storage tracks), and Union Railroad Company (Pennsylvania, 128-mile network in the Pittsburgh/Monongahela Valley area). Transtar traces its origins to railroads established in the late 1800s to serve predecessor steelmaking operations of today's U.S. Steel Corporation; the holding company was formed in December 1988 as part of a financial restructuring and was acquired by Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors (FTAI Infrastructure Inc., NASDAQ: FIP) in July 2021.
The company serves approximately 50 enterprise customers, with U.S. Steel operating as the anchor customer at three sites and other notable customers including Republic Engineered Products and Long Ridge Energy Terminal. Revenue is generated through transaction-based fees across five streams: freight tariffs and switching charges for rail transportation, railcar storage (short and long term, including hazardous materials), transloading combining rail with truck or barge, AAR-standard maintenance and repair, and industrial development services for rail-served properties. Pricing is governed by Conditions of Carriage No. 1-Series with fuel surcharges tied to the U.S. average retail on-highway diesel price from two months prior. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, supported by partnerships with state and regional economic development organizations (JobsOhio, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, Michigan EDC, Indiana EDC, Ohio Rail Development Commission).
Transtar operates across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Alabama, and Texas, with headquarters in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. The company has approximately 450 employees and has earned consecutive ASLRRA President's Safety Awards for the Eastern Region in 2023 and 2024, plus multiple Jake Awards with Distinction for zero reportable injuries. Growth is supported by FTAI Infrastructure's capital backing; FTAI agreed in August 2025 to acquire The Wheeling Corporation (owner of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway) for $1.05 billion, with W&LE connecting to Transtar's Union Railroad outside Pittsburgh and the combined entity projected to generate approximately $200 million of annual Adjusted EBITDA by end of 2026 with $20 million of cost savings and $50 million of revenue synergies.
Transtar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Transtar
- Legal name
- Transtar, LLC
- Website
- https://transtarrail.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Transtar, LLC operates seven Class III freight railroads across the U.S. industrial heartland, providing switching, transportation, storage, transloading, maintenance, and industrial development services primarily to steel manufacturers and industrial customers, anchored by U.S. Steel contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Transtar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Short Line Freight Rail Services
- NAICS
- Short Line Railroads (482112), Rail Transportation (482), Rail Transportation (4821)
- SIC
- Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013), Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Intermodal Terminal Value-Added Services (Cross-Dock, Transload, Stuffing/Stripping) (TLAJAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rail Terminal Switching, Shunting & Yard Locomotive Services (TLAJAFAF), Rail-Truck Transload Terminals (Inland) (TLALAFAJ), Domestic Intermodal Rail-Truck (COFC/TOFC) (TLADAFAA)
Keywords
Where Transtar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Transtar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Rail Transportation Services: Core rail transportation services including common carrier railroad operations, rail switching services, and in-plant services for industrial customers. Revenue generated through freight tariffs and switching charges.
- Railcar Storage: Short-term and long-term railcar storage services at various Transtar locations. Storage for loaded, empty, private rail cars; hazardous and non-hazardous materials; various car types including tank cars, box cars, hopper cars, and flat cars.
- Transload Services: Transloading services combining rail with truck or barge transportation for shippers lacking rail spurs or needing to transfer between transportation modes.
- Maintenance & Repair: Freight car repair, mobile or on-site repair and inspection, wreck damage repair, welding, fabrication and assembly, and staging and storage yards services.
- Industrial Development: Site development services for new rail-served properties, expanding current rail infrastructure, and creating rail access with optimal transload locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Conditions of Carriage and Freight Tariffs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Transtar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Transtar operates a network of seven Class III short line freight railroads across the U.S. industrial heartland, providing rail switching, common carrier transportation, railcar storage, in-plant services, transloading, maintenance and repair, and industrial site development services for industrial customers (primarily steel, metals, chemicals, energy, and bulk commodity shippers). It moves raw materials and finished products and integrates with the national Class I rail network through multiple interchange agreements.
Product overview
Transtar is a holding company operating a network of seven Class III freight railroads across the United States. The portfolio includes Delray Connecting Railroad (Michigan), East Ohio Valley Railway (Ohio), Fairfield Southern Company (Alabama), Gary Railway Company (Indiana), Lake Terminal Railroad (Ohio), Texas & Northern Railway (Texas), and Union Railroad Company (Pennsylvania). Transtar offers integrated rail services including rail switching, common carrier transportation, railcar storage, in-plant services, maintenance and repair, transload services, and industrial development solutions. The company transports raw materials such as iron ore, coal, coke, scrap and limestone; provides in-plant transportation for steel making processes; and moves finished products to destination. Formerly owned by US Steel, Transtar traces its roots to the late 1800s and was acquired by Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors in July 2021.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rail Switching Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced carbon emissions, eased congestion, and reduced highway wear when shifting freight from highway to rail
Companies that use Transtar
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Transtar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Transtar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway CompanycoreFTAI Infrastructure agreed to purchase The Wheeling Corporation (owner of W&LE) for $1.05 billion. W&LE is a Class II regional freight railroad serving 250+ customers over 1,000+ miles of track in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland. W&LE connects to Transtar's Union Railroad Company outside of Pittsburgh. Combined entity expected to generate approximately $200 million of annual Adjusted EBITDA by end of 2026 with $20 million in annual cost savings and $50 million in revenue synergies.
- Norfolk SoutherncoreClass I railroad partner providing interchange connections at multiple Transtar locations including EOVR, Lake Terminal, and URR. Norfolk Southern supports EOVR's expanded operations through lease of rail lines between Powhatan Point and Bellaire.
- Canadian National Railway (CN)coreClass I railroad partner providing interchange connections at multiple Transtar locations including Delray Connecting, Gary Railway, Lake Terminal, and URR.
- CSX Transportation (CSXT)coreClass I railroad partner providing interchange connections at multiple Transtar locations including Delray Connecting, Gary Railway, Lake Terminal, and URR.
- BNSF RailwaycoreClass I railroad partner providing interchange connections at Gary Railway and URR.
- Union Pacific RailroadcoreClass I railroad partner providing interchange connections at Gary Railway.
- CPKCcoreClass I railroad partner providing interchange connections at Gary Railway and Texas & Northern Railway.
- JobsOhiominorOhio's private non-profit economic development corporation partnering to support industrial development in Ohio.
- Pittsburgh Regional AllianceminorRegional economic development organization serving the Pittsburgh area, partnering to support industrial development.
- Michigan Economic Development CorporationminorMichigan's economic development agency partnering to support industrial development in Michigan.
- Indiana Economic Development CorporationminorIndiana's economic development agency partnering to support industrial development in Indiana.
- Ohio Rail Development CommissionminorOhio state agency providing grant funding for rail infrastructure improvements. Awarded $255,000 to EOVR for at-grade crossing rehabilitation.
- Ohio Economic Development AssociationminorState economic development association supporting industrial development efforts in Ohio.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Transtar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Iowa Interstate Railroad: Class II regional railroad offering Class I interchange, in-plant switching and industrial development across IA and IL. Comparable in switching/service mix and Class I connectivity profile.
- Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Owned by GIC et al. following take-private, G&W is the largest global owner-operator of Class II/III short line and regional freight railroads, mirroring Transtar's holding-company structure over multiple short lines with Class I interchange. Direct competitor for shipper contracts, M&A targets, and Class I partnerships.
- Indiana Rail Road Company: Class II regional railroad serving industrial customers with switching, transload and car storage capabilities across Indiana and adjacent states. Overlaps with Transtar's Gary Railway geography and customer verticals.
- R.J. Corman Railroad Group: Privately-held short line operator and rail services provider (switching, transload, M&R, industrial development) with multiple Class II/III railroads in the Midwest and Southeast, overlapping Transtar's geographic and service footprint.
- Watco Companies: Privately-held holding company owning and operating 40+ short line railroads plus in-plant switching, transload, M&R and industrial development services. Closest comparable operating model to Transtar's 7-railroad platform with switching, storage and transload offerings.
- Anacostia Rail Holdings: Private operator of 5+ short line railroads and rail-related services including switching, transload and industrial real estate. Comparable multi-railroad operating model and shared customer base in industrial commodities.
- Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad: Independent Class III short line operating in PA with industrial switching, transload and freight handling services, overlapping Transtar's Union Railroad territory in Pennsylvania.
- OmniTRAX: Short line railroad holding company operating regional and short line freight railroads with transload, industrial development and rail-served real estate services. Directly comparable multi-railroad operating model.
Broad incumbents
- CSX Transportation: Class I freight railroad that interchanges with Transtar at multiple locations (Delray, Gary, Lake Terminal, URR) and is a counterparty for switching, transload and end-haul services. Comparable as the broader rail services umbrella Transtar feeds into.
- Norfolk Southern: Class I freight railroad providing interchange at Delray, EOVR, Lake Terminal and URR; recently leased Powhatan Point line to enable EOVR's 18-mile expansion. Class I partner that broadly captures volume Transtar hands off.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Transtar social profiles
Digital presenceTranstar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Transtar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Transtar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Transtar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Transtar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Transtar
What does Transtar do?
Transtar operates a network of seven Class III short line freight railroads across the U.S. industrial heartland, providing rail switching, common carrier transportation, railcar storage, in-plant services, transloading, maintenance and repair, and industrial site development services for industrial customers (primarily steel, metals, chemicals, energy, and bulk commodity shippers). It moves raw materials and finished products and integrates with the national Class I rail network through multiple interchange agreements.
Is Transtar a public or private company?
Transtar is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Transtar founded?
Transtar was founded in 1988. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Transtar based?
Transtar is headquartered in Fairfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Transtar make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Rail Transportation Services are the primary driver. The others are railcar Storage, transload Services, maintenance & Repair and industrial Development.
Who are Transtar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Iowa Interstate Railroad, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., Indiana Rail Road Company, R.J. Corman Railroad Group, Watco Companies, Anacostia Rail Holdings, Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad and OmniTRAX. Broad incumbents are CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern.
Does Transtar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Transtar.
What industry is Transtar in?
Transtar's product category is Short Line Freight Rail Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJAFAL, Intermodal Terminal Value-Added Services (Cross-Dock, Transload, Stuffing/Stripping), with a secondary code of TLAJAFAF, Rail Terminal Switching, Shunting & Yard Locomotive Services. Its NAICS code is 482112 and its SIC code is 4013.