Genesee & Wyoming to Split Into Three Separate Holding Companies

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. plans to divide into three separate holding companies effective January 1, 2027, pending regulatory approval.

All three new entities will remain under the ownership of Brookfield and GIC. The reorganization builds on a divisional structure introduced in 2023, designed to allow faster decision-making, closer customer relationships, and greater regional focus.

Atlantic & Great Lakes Transportation Inc. will include operations in New England, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, including the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad. Based in Rochester, N.Y., the company will be led by CEO Bill Keough, who most recently served as G&W regional senior vice president.

Canyon & Cascade Transportation Inc. will comprise operations in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Based in Phoenix, this entity will be led by CEO David Franklin, a 24-year G&W veteran and most recently divisional vice president.

Genesee & Wyoming Inc. will retain the remaining operations in the Midwest, Southeast, and Central United States, along with Canada, which represent about 65 percent of the current business. The parent company will stay based in Jacksonville, Fla., under CEO Michael Miller.

“The reorganization builds on the divisional structure G&W introduced in 2023 and is intended to allow faster decision-making, closer customer relationships, and greater regional focus,” Miller said.

Every firm is anticipated to function autonomously, featuring its own leadership team, board of directors, and financial foundation. The enterprise originates from a 14-mile short line established in 1899 to support a salt mine located in Retsof, N.Y. A holding company, Genesee & Wyoming Industries, was formed in 1977, followed by rapid expansion through acquisitions starting in the 1980s.

Brookfield Infrastructure and GIC acquired G&W in 2019 through an $8.4 billion transaction. Presently, G&W possesses or rents upwards of 100 freight rail networks throughout North America, catering to more than 2,000 clients across a span exceeding 13,000 miles of track.