Infrastructure
Located on the perimeter of Kalispell’s northeastern city limits, the Glacier Rail Park has immediate access to U.S. Highway 2 and is only 10 minutes from Glacier Park International Airport. Due to its location and a design specifically tailored for industrial companies with freight inventory, the park is a great match for expanding industrial businesses. Glacier Rail Park offers a valuable, established infrastructure for any activity requiring rail service. Every lot is equipped with on-site rail, wastewater management, municipal water and utilities. In addition, site pads are graded and ready for construction. Rail to the tenant's building can be designed to spec and built to suit. Costs for engineering and construction of rail are included in the lease or sale price. In addition, truck and highway access meets both the needs of industry and Montana Department of Transportation's requirements.
This infrastructure combination is not available in any other location in the Flathead; it’s also a rare find in other rail parks. Naturally, these amenities increase the cost of land in the Glacier Rail Park but for rail-served businesses this shovel-ready property provides an excellent value and easy transition. Call Jerry Meerkatz at 406-257-7711 x4 or jerry@dobusinessinmontana.com to discuss your plans and learn what resources are available to grow your business in the Flathead Valley. |
Drone footage of the Glacier Rail Park on July 29, 2019.
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Availability
For businesses interested in becoming a tenant of Glacier Rail Park, lots range in size from 3 to 10 acres and are zoned as “heavy industrial.” All sites are graded and ready for construction.
Utilities:
Roads:
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Prices and lease rates include access to common area track and use of a private access road built to specification for industrial traffic and convenient, signalized access to U.S. Hwy 2. All utilities are available at the edge of each lot and storm water detention is available for all sites.
Options for financing packages, custom incentives, equipment grants and workforce training grants are all available. Call our team of economic development professionals for a customized package of both costs and incentives for your project. Jerry Meerkatz at 406-257-7711 x4 or jerry@dobusinessinmontana.com |
Team Track & Transloading
In addition to tenants, businesses that need regular access to the rail line can lease usage through Team Track. These businesses will share the line with other users, coordinating their usage with those businesses and the short line operator, Mission Mountain Rail, a subsidiary of Watco Railways. Team Track users provide their own insurance, labor, trucks and equipment for loading and unloading onto the rail cars. Typical team track users include companies that require consistent, but limited access to track a certain number of days each month and are able to provide their own trucks, equipment and employees for loading or unloading product.
Transload services are available for users of the rail that aren’t located in the rail park but still need products delivered to and loaded upon rail cars or taken from rail cars and delivered to their businesses around Northwest Montana. These businesses would contract with the short line operator, Mission Mountain Rail, on an as-needed basis and would typically be a business that only required occasional, sporadic or one-time only use of rail. |
Distance from BNSF

The rail park is located in BNSF’s Great Northern Corridor, with access to West Coast, Great Lakes and Canadian markets. BNSF and Mission Mountain Railroad, a subsidiary of Watco Railways, have communicated with potential tenants and worked closely on the design of the rail park to ensure that it meets rail needs. BNSF also has property neighboring the rail park that offers 39 additional rail-served, industrial-zoned acres available for development.
Public Private Partnership

The City of Kalispell and Flathead County Economic Development Authority are committed to ensuring development in the Glacier Rail Park is simple and straightforward. The industrial park was designed with hands-on engineering from BNSF, Watco Railways and Mission Mountain Railroad. The Glacier Rail Park’s development coordinator, Kim Morisaki, personally connects developers with the correct people, identifies necessary permits, and is available to assist if challenges surface. Kalispell wants your business and all entities are committed to ensure the planning and development of your facility is efficiently managed.
Leadership
Flathead County Economic Development Authority
As Flathead County’s economic development arm, the Flathead County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) responsibly invests public funds into local projects that produce a strong return in job retention and creation, and in infrastructure that attracts or retains business. The FCEDA board is comprised of individuals possessing years of combined business and real estate experience with a track record of success in entrepreneurial endeavors. Funding for investments made by the board are supported by a two mill levy, set in place by the Flathead County Commissioners. For more information, visit www.dobusinessinmontana.com or www.flatheadcountyeda.com. |
City of Kalispell
Kalispell is a dynamic community located within a stone’s throw of Flathead Lake, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and several national and state forests. The city is the retail, professional, medical, and governmental center of the Flathead Valley, serving nearly 150,000 people in Northwest Montana. It is also the valley’s historical and cultural core. The city is governed by a mayor, eight-member council, city manager and departmental heads. To-date, city officials have been heavily involved in the Core & Rail Redevelopment and are pleased to see the project becoming a reality after decades of planning. For more information, visit www.kalispell.com. |