Reno is situated on a major rail corridor linking west coast ports, especially the Port of Oakland, to inland destinations. Prior to the Reno Transportation Rail Access Corridor (ReTRAC) project, dual mainline, at-grade rail tracks passed directly through the City's downtown, creating a number of concerns. By depressing a 2.25-mile downtown stretch of the rail corridor into a 1.75-mile-long, 54-foot-wide by 33-foot-deep trench, the ReTRAC project resolved numerous environmental, public health, and safety issues. An adjacent access road, relocation of the City's Amtrak station, and utility relocation was also included in the project.

The ReTRAC project eliminated 10 at-grade street crossings by replacing them with bridges and constructing one new bridge over the trench, minimizing emergency vehicle delay, vehicular delay, impacts from pedestrian conflicts, whistle warning noise, and air quality conflicts. The project also increased property tax revenues by raising residential, commercial, and industrial property values along the corridor. New, developable real estate amounted to 120 acres.

The project allows Union Pacific to improve freight capacity by increasing train lengths to 8,000 feet with double-stacked containers. Greater train frequency is also possible facilitating Nevada's warehousing industry.