Railroad Tracks on Vacant Lot

[Sam Considine]

Today I received a call from someone looking to sell their land. It’s a 1.5 acre lot zoned for light manufacturing in an industrial zone. However railroad tracks run directly through the property. It’s in a good area for its zoning (and could make a good parking lot if nothing else), but I’m worried about the railroad tracks. Does anyone have any experience with a similar property and if it’s worth it to proceed?

[Cason Acor]

Is the rail spur still in operation? If so, there are tenants who will pay a premium for a build-to-suit with rail access. I have a client who’s been looking for a property with rail access for almost a year, and those aren’t very common.