Savage breaks ground on first new Utah railroad in decades in Tooele Co.

Officials gather to celebrate the beginning of construction on the Savage Tooele Railroad. Pictured (left to right) are Grantsville Mayor Neil
Critchlow, Tooele County Council Chair Jared Hamner, Gov. Spencer J. Cox, Savage CEO Kirk Aubry, U.S. Sen.-elect John Curtis, The Romney
Group CEO Josh Romney and Utah Rep. Tim Jimenez. Photo courtesy of Savage.

Ground has been broken for Utah’s first new railroad in several decades. The Savage Tooele Railroad (STR) will connect the Lakeview Business Park in Grantsville to Union Pacific Railroad’s main line near I-80 in Tooele County. A recent ceremony marked the beginning of construction of the 11-mile spur.

In April, the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) granted approval for STR to construct, rehabilitate and operate the rail line that connects to the 1,700-acre master-planned logistics hub in Grantsville. Lakeview Business Park is a joint venture between development partners Prologis and The Romney Group. Savage, a Utah-based global logistics and transportation company, will develop the railroad.

In its application to the STB, Savage emphasized that providing a rail alternative to truck transportation will lower emissions and reduce fuel consumption and wear-and-tear on roads.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Gov. Spencer J. Cox emphasized the STR project’s significance. “This is a historic project and one that will have an enormous positive impact on the Utah economy. This new rail line will be a tremendous advantage for Utahns and Utah businesses for generations to come,” Cox said.

“Today’s groundbreaking marks an exciting milestone for Tooele County and all of Utah,” said U.S. Sen.-elect John Curtis. “Connecting Lakeview Business Park with new rail infrastructure will boost economic growth, reduce environmental impacts and enhance opportunities for local businesses and residents. I’m pleased to support projects like this that strengthen our community and drive development.”

“We’re excited to start the construction of the STR rail line and to safely and responsibly build and operate this new short-line railroad in Tooele County,” said Savage CEO Kirk Aubry. “It’s not often that we get to witness or participate in the birth of a new railroad, in Utah or anywhere. We appreciate the support of federal, state and local officials, our customers and partners and everyone involved with this project.”

“The STR will significantly improve Lakeview Business Park’s connectivity and accessibility, strengthening its ability to support companies’ supply chain operations,” said Gus Gradinger, vice president of customer-led development for Prologis. “With the park fully entitled, modern logistics and manufacturing facilities can be developed and delivered fast for a wide range of businesses.”

“This is an important milestone in our work to bring rail service to Lakeview Business Park tenants, connecting them with the country’s expansive rail network and improving their access to domestic and global markets,” said Jason Ray, president of Savage’s Infrastructure Sector.

The railroad project joins other recently announced industrial projects in Tooele County, signaling a surge in economic growth and business investment in the area. Lineage Logistics is expanding in Grantsville, adding a 220,000-square-foot facility and up to 96 high-paying jobs over the next five years. Leitner-Poma is establishing a new manufacturing facility in Tooele, investing over $27 million and creating up to 120 jobs. Additionally, Minova plans to open a new manufacturing facility, projecting to add 58 high-paying jobs and invest $24.5 million in Utah.

“We are very pleased with the progress toward reactivating the Warner Spur between the Union Pacific Railroad mainline near I-80 and Lakeview Business Park,” said Mayor Neil Critchlow of Grantsville. “We expect that positive economic development within Grantsville City and the Greater Tooele County area will be accelerated, enhancing the opportunity for our residents to find employment close to home.”

“Union Pacific is excited about our partnership with Savage and the opportunity to provide rail service to the Lakeview Business Park. Our 32,000-mile network, with its nine international gateways to Canada and Mexico, will provide new opportunities for market growth and expansion for those that choose to develop new warehouses, facilities and other businesses in the park. Congratulations to everyone working to make this project a success,” said Dan McLaughlin, assistant vice president of marketing and sales at Union Pacific Railroad.

Established in 1946, Savage is a privately held, global provider of supply chain infrastructure and solutions, with more than 4,000 employees in about 200 locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.