Patriot Rail plans Delta Southern buy

Patriot Rail Co., owner of short-line railroads, said Monday that it plans to purchase Delta Southern Railroad Inc. in northeast Louisiana.

Delta Southern operates about 40 miles of track serving two Mississippi River ports at Lake Providence Port and Madison Parish Port, Patriot said in a news release. The line interchanges with Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific Railroads.

Patriot Rail Co., based in Jacksonville, Fla., will provide service in Arkansas for the first time when it completes the purchase of Denver-based Pioneer Lines Inc., which runs 15 short-line railroads.

Patriot Rail said that deal — announced in August — will give the company 31 short-line operations and will create new markets in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

The acquisitions are subject to regulatory approval.