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Moving the Future
Unpredictable weather, millions of dollars in cargo, and the possibility of the smallest delay throwing the whole delivery system out of whack: welcome to logistics. For The Essex Terminal Railway Company (ETR), these are only a handful of issues the company deals with on a daily basis. But for the past 113 years, ETR has proven itself time and time again as a reliable, quality short-line railway in Ontario for metal, industrial, chemical, agricultural, renewable energy, and lumber industry sectors to connect freight to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), Canadian National Railway (CN), and CSX Corporation (CSX).
ETR’s sister company, Morterm Limited (Morterm), is the only full-service general marine cargo terminal in the Port of Windsor providing a range of material handling services including stevedoring, warehousing, and outbound shipping by rail, road, or river. Morterm routinely handles steel, bulk products such as raw sugar, and project cargoes like wind turbine components—which are big and heavy but still require precision handling.
With the combination of services between the two companies allowing customers to reliably and efficiently ship freight by rail to every corner of Canada, the United States and Mexico, the companies are positioned well to capitalize on opportunities and ensure not only stability, but continued growth.
“Freight patterns are changing a bit. We are starting to see cargo offloaded at different ports, sometimes smaller or further into the seaway instead of the large ocean ports such as Vancouver, New York, and Los Angeles as shippers look for ways to avoid congestion and keep their freight moving,” said Tracy Pringle, director of business development. “Because larger and larger vessels are being used to transport international goods, the traditional ports are congested. Large vessels take longer to unload, and ships can wait days to be unloaded and cargo is at a standstill. We are seeing our customers find new ways and means to move their cargo; sometimes using smaller vessels that can navigate the St. Lawrence Seaway and deliver to ports in the Great Lakes Region, like Morterm.”
100+ Years of Success
“To stay successful in logistics, you have to be responsive, flexible, and adaptable to new environments, new cargo types, and new methods of transportation,” said Pringle when asked about the company’s 113-year history. “Regarding our success? We pay great attention to our customers. Without customers, you don’t have a business.”
The Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) is a switching (or short line) railway that runs from the east side of Windsor, ON through the Town of LaSalle and terminates in Amherstburg, ON.
The mainline of the ETR runs in a generally southwest direction for some 35 km in a route that roughly parallels the Detroit River that separates Windsor from Detroit, Michigan.
Incorporated in 1902, the ETR provides switching services for local customers engaged in the industrial, lumber, steel, agricultural, scrap metal, alcohol, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) industry sectors as well as serving our sister company, Morterm Limited with rail access for our Great Lakes transload facility, connecting these customers to CN, CP and CSX. With these direct connections, the ETR allows your cargo to travel to any point in the rail networks of Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Essex Terminal Railway Company
1601 Lincoln Ave
Windsor, ON N8Y2J3
Phone 519.973.8222
Fax 519.973.7234
Email - info@etr.ca
Website - https://etr.ca/
