CSX Awards 21 Select Sites With Illinois Gold Rating

[JACKSONVILLE, FL] – CSX has designated 21 industrial sites across 10 states as “Select Sites” through its industrial development program. The initiative, which vetted properties in over 30 communities, aims to connect expanding companies with pre-qualified rail-served locations. Only one site, the Interstate 80 Logistics Park in Minooka, Illinois, achieved the program’s highest “gold” rating.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The program certifies shovel-ready sites for rail-served industrial development to accelerate investment decisions for manufacturers and logistics firms. CSX evaluated over 1,110 properties along its network, designating only 6% as “Select Sites” with gold, silver, or bronze ratings based on readiness criteria. The specific evaluation metrics and the names of the 20 other designated sites were not disclosed in the announcement.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

This industrial site certification program is a standard competitive practice among North American Class I railroads. Competitors like BNSF run a “Certified Sites” program, and Norfolk Southern operates its “PRIME” sites program, both of which also vet locations for infrastructure, zoning, and utility readiness to reduce development risk for potential customers. The objective across all these programs is to shorten the site selection timeline for manufacturers and logistics firms considering new rail-served facilities, thereby capturing future freight volume.

Editor’s Analysis

This program positions CSX to capitalize on the on-shoring of advanced manufacturing and the sustained growth of e-commerce logistics. By pre-qualifying sites, CSX reduces friction for major investors, such as Siemens’ recent factory announcements in the Carolinas, and large-scale distributors responding to record parcel shipment volumes. The initiative is a strategic move to secure long-term carload growth by embedding its network into new industrial supply chains as the U.S. domestic parcel market continues to expand, hitting 23.9 billion shipments (Source: ShipMatrix, 2025).

FAQ

Q: Which site received the highest rating?
A: The Interstate 80 Logistics Park in Minooka, Illinois, was the only property out of the 21 to receive a “gold” rating. The specific criteria for the gold, silver, and bronze rating tiers were not released by CSX.

Q: Why do railroads run these site designation programs?
A: These programs are designed to attract new industrial customers by reducing their site selection risk and development time. By pre-certifying that a site has proper zoning, utilities, and rail access, railroads make it easier and faster for manufacturers to build new facilities on their network.

Q: How does this program benefit CSX financially?
A: The program is a long-term investment in business development rather than an immediate revenue generator. Securing a new manufacturing plant or distribution center on one of these sites creates a new, long-term, high-volume customer for CSX’s core rail freight services.