RailAmerica Inc. Buys Rail Line Connecting Port

International rail giant RailAmerica Inc. purchased a key link to the Port of Hueneme for an undisclosed sum this week, capping an aggressive lobbying effort by the Oxnard Harbor District.

The rail line, which connects the port to the Union Pacific railroad in Oxnard, was sold Monday by former real estate magnate Martin V. Smith for an undisclosed sum.

The Board of Harbor Commissioners, the port’s governing body, wanted to purchase the property but could not raise the money, said board President Mike Plisky. He said the board lobbied for the RailAmerica purchase as an alternative to potential ownership by another government entity.

“We’re keeping the railroad in the hands of the private sector,” Plisky said. “If we couldn’t acquire it, it was our desire to make sure someone business-friendly and business-minded would acquire it.”