Columbia COLT Railroad

Owned by the City of Columbia and operated by City of Columbia Utilities, COLT Railroad and Transload provides a multitude of shipping services. Experience the personalized commitment and convenience of a community-owned, community-operated short-line railroad and transload for your shipping needs!

The COLT completed an analysis to understand its economic impact on Boone County and Missouri. COLT’s five-year direct impact accounts for $670 million in total sales, 243 jobs and $2.4 million in tax revenue in the City of Columbia and Boone County.

COLT offers reliable, energy-efficient, cost-competitive transportation service to the Mid-Missouri region. COLT interchanges with the Norfolk Southern’s main line in Centralia, Missouri. Shippers work directly with the Norfolk Southern Railroad for car supply, tariffs, billing, collections and general marketing. If desired, COLT management will provide assistance in developing these competitive arrangements.

  • From Columbia to Centralia, the rail line is generally parallel to State Highway B to Hallsville and State Highway 124 to Centralia.
  • In Columbia, the rail line is located just west of the Highway B industrial corridor, crosses Highway 63 approximately 2.5 miles north of Interstate 70 and ends south of Rogers Street near the center of town.

Transload Operations

  • Direct receiving and shipping.
  • Full-service short- and long-term warehousing.
  • Environmentally controlled unloading and storage.
  • 83,000 square feet of storage under one roof and 13 acres of fenced outdoor storage with security system.
  • Rail spur running directly into and through the warehouse.
  • 20 rail car spots.
  • Boxcar and center-beam flatcar compatible.
  • 13 van-height, back-in truck doors.
  • Three pull-through truck doors.
  • 58,000-pound-capacity overhead crane.
  • Five fork trucks; one each of 15-ton, 12.5-ton, 7.5-ton, 2.5-ton and 1.8-ton.
  • RF bar code scanning and bar code label creation.

Warehousing, Transloading and Distribution

Expertly provides seamless, door-to-door service with integrated warehousing and trucking and the economies of rail service that provide you cost-effective distribution solutions.

Modal Integration: Products can be shipped via the most cost-effective, long-haul mode regardless of whether your facilities are directly served by rail. Our warehousing and distribution programs provide transloading services and coordination between multiple transportation modes (rail to truck, ship/barge to rail/truck; truck to rail). 

Packaging: We provide cost-effective repackaging and prep-for-use services, decanning, container unstuffing, package stripping/disposal and skid-to-pallet transfer.

Commodities: Our facilities and material handling expertise are suitable for a wide variety of products. Equipped with an overhead crane and five fork trucks, COLT Transload can handle steel of all types, lumber and construction materials and miscellaneous palletized equipment and products. If you need quality warehousing and distribution, COLT Transload can handle it.

Just-In-Time Distribution: Store your product in Columbia at the COLT Transload warehouse and receive the savings of shipping heavier products over long distances by rail. We will assist you in managing deliveries on a just-in-time basis.

Custom Truck Transports

Flexibility: COLT Transload will help you customize solutions to meet your specific business needs, reduce logistics spending and boost your efficiency. 

Core Strengths: COLT Transload works with regional, dedicated carriers and national truck transportation services through long-haul, short-haul and customized services. Because each customer relationship is unique, customers can choose any or all of COLT Transload’s logistics capabilities including: 

  • Shipment planning and load building.
  • Scheduling shipping and receiving.
  • Transportation network design.

Supply Chain Visibility and Connectivity: We can supply total visibility for products from origin to final destination. We can provide detailed supply chain information to you, your partners and your customers in a quick, secure and reliable manner.

Contact Information

6501 N. Brown Station Road
Columbia, MO  65202
573.441.5561
Receiving hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

David Dick

Title: Transload Operations Supervisor

Phone: 573.441.5561

Email: David.Dick@CoMo.gov

Matthew Sabath

Title: Railroad Operations

Phone: 573.441.5564

Alternate Phone: 573.864.2171

Email: Matthew.Sabath@CoMo.gov

  • Economic Impact of the COLT
  • We handle more than 1,500 cars a year.
  • We are a Class III railroad with two locomotives.
  • COLT’s 21 miles of track are rated FRA Class II, which allows for a 25 mph train speed.
  • JAKE AWARD WINNER: The American Short Line and the Regional Railroad Association have recognized our outstanding safety record.
  • Trains are run daily by a staff that has more than 75 years of cumulative experience.