The biggest railroad in North America doesn’t usually do things small and that’s the case with its latest proposal for its Los Angeles and Long Beach cargo complex.

Union Pacific Corp. has unveiled a $300 million modernization plan for its Los Angeles port facility with the intention of making it less polluting while also moving more cargo more quickly.

The facility, which serves both ports and is located about five miles north of San Pedro Bay, is the transfer site for cargo containers that are moved from trucks to trains. It currently handles about 700,000 containers annually using 10 giant diesel-powered gantry cranes and 73 diesel-powered truck tractors.

The modernization would replace the diesel cranes with 39 environmentally-friendly electric gantry cranes and eliminate all but two of the tractors.

“The goal of this project is to improve the environmental impact of this facility, while supporting the growth of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach,” said Union Pacific Chairman and Chief Executive Jim Young in a statement.

The multibillion dollar Southern California goods movement industry finds itself caught between opposing forces: handling an expected massive cargo growth in coming years at the same time environmentalists are trying to limit or even reduce pollution from existing levels.

Union Pacific hopes to tackle both problems with its proposal to modernize its intermodal container transfer facility. When the project is complete, the company expects a significant reduction in emissions but also a doubling of its container-handling capacity.

The plan calls for a new method of stacking containers, which planners say makes operations more efficient and will allow the facility to handle additional cargo without having to expand key, considering the density of development surrounding it.

The railroad company also is touting the plan’s benefits for surrounding communities, including noise and light reductions. The overhaul would replace or eliminate noise-generating equipment and make use of specialized light hoods that would direct light away from nearby neighborhoods.

If approved, the company said the project would make the 20-year-old facility one of the most efficient rail ports in North America. Los Angeles port officials are reviewing the proposal and have until the end of the month to issue a formal response.