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Coastal Growers LLC officials announced Monday the successful loading of its first rail car on the newly constructed rail line.

“This achievement marks a significant step forward in enhancing our operational capabilities and expanding our reach,” Coastal officials said on their Facebook page. “The culmination of dedicated effort, meticulous planning and unwavering teamwork has brought us to this remarkable point. Our new rail line not only signifies improved logistics and transportation efficiency, but also symbolizes our commitment to innovation and growth. It opens up a world of possibilities for the seamless movement of goods, reduced transit times and increased connectivity to various markets.”
Construction on the railroad spur was complete in March, some six months after it began.

In April 2022, the city of Atmore awarded TripTek Construction LLC a bid to construct the railroad spur, which connects the main CSX rail line to Coastal Growers, a peanut shelling facility. In May 2021, the city was awarded a $2 million grant to build the spur.

According to Advance archives, casing was placed over existing utilities. New casing was also installed for future utilities. Additionally, Alabama Power Co. raised the transmission lines behind Masland Carpets so trains will be able to move under them.

After utility work was finished, grading and excavation was done over a couple of months. This process included hauling in 15,000 yards and hauling out about 30,000 yards of unsuitable material, along with hauling in approximately 7,500 tons of stone, according to Advance archives.

Once the base part of the rail line was complete, the construction of the rail spur commenced.