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Feed Mill Expansion
Adds Traffic on
D&H
By Tim Hedin G&PA Minneapolis
The VTR is one of 26 shortlines that connect with the D&H.
Along with a recent upgrade to its facility on the Vermont Railway (VTR) in North
Bennington, Vermont, Whitman's Feed Store Inc., reevaluated its practice of receiving inbound product by truck.
Chalk up a victory for rail service.
"The mill's US$1-million expansion triggered the opportunity for bulk rail service", said David Ploof, assistant vice-president of VTR, alluding to
Whitman's entry into the feed-blending business. "Prior to this, the mill received grain in bags by truck. Now it is a bulk blending plant, which enables
it to take advantage of the rail system."
Persuading the new mill to utilize rail was a marketing coup for VTR and CPRS, which connects with the shortline railway in Whitehall, N.Y., on the D&H
line. The partnership combines attentive local service with the strengths of a transcontinental railway.
"We managed to put together competitive rates to beat local trucks", said CPRS marketing representative Robert Nardone. "The customer wants good
service and good prices. Together with the VTR, which provides excellent service and good turnarounds, we can deliver."
The mill receives bulk shipments of a variety of grains, including soybean meal, whole corn, hominy, distillers grain, and wheat middlings. The grains, along
with vitamins and trace minerals, are blended to farmers' specifications at the new high-tech facility. |
