Ridgewood Infrastructure has acquired a controlling interest in California-based shortline operator Sierra Railroad Company.
Sierra’s subsidiaries include Sierra Northern Railway, which owns and operates around 130 miles of track in California, providing freight services, switching, storage and transloading. The network serves dairy, agricultural, energy and industrial customers and connects with both Union Pacific and BNSF through Class I interchanges.
The transaction also covers Railpower, a Sierra subsidiary that owns and operates an FRA-approved hydrogen-powered locomotive. Railpower focuses on low-emission locomotive technology within the shortline segment.
CVAT operates agricultural transload facilities serving dairy farmers and other agricultural customers on the Sierra Northern network. The acquisition integrates feed and agricultural product handling with Sierra’s rail operations, expanding transload capacity and rail utilisation.
Ridgewood Infrastructure invests in US transportation, energy, utilities and industrial assets. Sierra Railroad Company has been under the leadership of its current owner since 1995. Debt financing for the transaction was provided by Brookfield Infrastructure Credit; financial terms were not disclosed.