CSX Completes Avon Yard Upgrade: Adds 300-Car Daily Capacity

CSX expands Avon Yard with a 3,500-foot hump lead extension, boosting daily capacity by 200-300 rail cars. This upgrade enhances network fluidity and reduces dwell time.

CSX Completes Avon Yard Upgrade: Adds 300-Car Daily Capacity
January 29, 2026 8:39 pm
A+
A-

🛑 Key Takeaways:
  • CSX has completed a hump lead extension at its Avon Yard in Indianapolis to reduce freight dwell time.
  • The project added 3,500 feet of track, increasing daily capacity by 200-300 rail cars.
  • The upgrade enables the processing of full-length trains in a single movement, improving network fluidity in a key Midwest hub.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – CSX has completed a key infrastructure upgrade at its Avon classification yard, extending the hump lead track by 3,500 feet. The project, which began in May 2025, increases the yard’s daily processing capacity by an estimated 200 to 300 rail cars. The total cost of the project was not disclosed.

CategorySpecification / Detail
ProjectAvon Yard Hump Lead Extension
LocationIndianapolis, Indiana, USA
Key StakeholderCSX
Track Added3,500 feet
New Total Lead Length8,000 feet
Capacity Increase200-300 cars per day
Project TimelineMay 2025 – January 2026

Operational & Technical Details

The extension creates a total hump lead length of 8,000 feet. This allows yard crews to process full-length trains in a single cut without requiring break-ups. This change directly reduces car dwell time and improves the efficiency of remote-control switching operations. Construction involved placing new ballast, positioning track, and tamping. CSX reported the project was completed without any incidents or injuries.

Market Impact Analysis

This targeted investment in Avon Yard is a strategic move to debottleneck a critical node in CSX’s network. By increasing throughput and reducing dwell times in Indianapolis, CSX can improve asset velocity and service reliability across its broader system. “The goal is efficiency — switching cars as quickly as possible so they don’t spend unnecessary time in the yard,” said David Clark, CSX’s director of construction engineering. This type of focused, high-impact capacity expansion is a core component of Class I railroad strategy to enhance network fluidity and compete more effectively with trucking.

📅 Originally Published: December 2025
For context on this project’s history, explore the initial electrification milestone.

➤ Read More: South Wales Metro Electrification Milestone: Rhymney Line Energized



FAQ: Quick Facts

What is the main value of this project?

The project’s primary value is increasing daily rail car handling capacity by 200-300 cars and reducing freight dwell time by allowing full-length trains to be processed in a single movement.

When was the project completed?

The project was completed and cutover in January 2026, following a construction start in May 2025.