Insights - November/December 2017 - 31
shippers with enhanced intermodal capacity and effective
alternatives to truck in fast-growing corridors between Southern
California and NS's Southeast markets," Heller said. "In
conjunction with Union Pacific, NS has focused on new service
offerings between UP's new Santa Teresa Terminal [near] El
Paso [Texas] and the Southeast."
NS also has developed a new transcontinental service
with BNSF that adds intermodal capacity between Southern
California and the Southeast through Memphis, Tennessee.
In the East, inland Midwest locations served through ondock facilities at the New York Container Terminal on Staten
Island have accelerated service and eliminated expensive and
time-consuming drayage moves in Northern New Jersey.
At the same time, the railroad has focused on enhancing
shipper relationships through a "customer visioning initiative"
as well as streamlining service for calls and emails to resolve
issues faster. In addition, the AccessNS online platform
has been upgraded to include an interactive dashboard,
customization options, the use of real-time data and other new
features.
Rail Investment Impact
The impact of these rail investments extends well beyond
their tracks. Ron Faherty, president of ARL Transport, said the
motor carrier has been working closely with CSX to support the
railroad's recently opened intermodal terminal in Pittsburgh.
"We are welcoming that addition," Faherty said. "It's adding
another competitor in Pittsburgh. Building that volume is a lot of
work. We also have made key adjustments to improve customer
service in the Cincinnati area."
That move will help to both improve service and support
a steady corps of drivers and counter the chronic shortage of
them.
Jonathan Wahba, Canadian Pacific Railway's vice president
of sales and marketing - intermodal and automotive, told
Insights the carrier has made five key steps to provide new
options or improve existing services.
"These supply-chain innovations create real, measurable
value for our customers, and we will seek opportunities to
expand our value proposition further," he said, while relying on
the "basics" such as running a precision scheduled railroad to
deliver on-time service while controlling costs.
One of the upgrades to speed service was adding a top-lift
machine in Portal, North Dakota, the U.S. border crossing for
a Vancouver, British Columbia-Chicago train, so that individual
containers can be offloaded for inspection instead of having to
switch out an entire railcar and all containers.
Accelerated Double-Stack Service
CP accelerated double-stack service between Vancouver
and Detroit, Wahba said, by using an interline partnership that
avoids overhead clearance constraints that previously restricted
that service.
Another change was to offer the first single-railroad service
between the West Coast and the Ohio Valley. The facility, located
in southwestern Ohio, offers short distance drayage options to
Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton.
CP added a transload facility near Vancouver for transfer of
"We are developing new domestic
services to provide shippers with
enhanced intermodal capacity and
effective alternatives to truck in fastgrowing corridors."
- Jeff Heller, vice president, Norfolk Southern
cargo from railcars to containers, aiding moves of export loads
to Asia. In addition, the railroad added gensets. A single unit can
power refrigeration units on as many as 17 ocean containers
to enhance perishable intermodal service that is supported by
telematics.
James Hertwig, CEO of Florida
East Coast Railway, said the carrier
is enhancing its intermodal services
with greater use of automation
to order and track equipment and
provide updates on the status of its
service in real time. The railroad also
has added trains to have greater
frequency of service, allowing traffic
to flow seamlessly through its
network.
Hertwig
The continuation of the Sanchez
Yard expansion near the U.S.-Mexico border has improved
service, Kansas City Southern spokeswoman Daniele Carlson
said.
"The completion of two siding extensions and the building
of a brand new siding in the south of Mexico, near the port of
Lazaro Cardenas, has further helped improve fluidity for all trains,
including intermodal trains, between the port and the interior
of Mexico," she said. "On the U.S. side of the border, our strong
relationships with the other Class Is have proven their worth once
again. This has meant a higher degree of security of service, and
faster recovery from the inevitable backlog incurred when nature
interferes, compared to just a few years ago."
Union Pacific touted its relationship with an ocean carrier
industry rarity - the startup of SM Line, a Korean carrier that
ships electronics and appliances via intermodal.
"International intermodal is typically a mature business,"
Union Pacific's Assistant Vice President of International
Intermodal Mark Simon said in a mid-2017 statement. "You just
don't see a startup happen this quickly."
Canadian National Railway made intermodal news by
establishing the only intermodal container terminal in the twin
ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. The facility
operates in partnership with Duluth Cargo Connect at the region's
public marine terminal.
Vanta Coda, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port
Authority, said in the railway's statement, "Our truck traffic has
grown exponentially in recent years, and now we've partnered
with CN to bring a whole new mode of efficient transportation
services to the Twin Ports."
November/December 2017 | Intermodal Insights
31
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Insights - November/December 2017
IANA News
Storms Create Recovery Challenges, Foster Valuable Lessons Learned
Intermodal Benefits from Technology Grow in 2017, Should Increase in Future
Inland Port Projects Advance in East
Optimism Builds for Intermodal Freight
Food Safety Modernization Act Could Help Increase Temp Control Freight
Intermodal Rail Enhancements Continue in 2017, Focused on Service
Government News
International Intermodal News
Intermodal Information Services News
Welcome New Members
People News
Intermodal Calendar
Insights - November/December 2017 - Cover1
Insights - November/December 2017 - 2
Insights - November/December 2017 - 3
Insights - November/December 2017 - IANA News
Insights - November/December 2017 - Storms Create Recovery Challenges, Foster Valuable Lessons Learned
Insights - November/December 2017 - 6
Insights - November/December 2017 - 7
Insights - November/December 2017 - 8
Insights - November/December 2017 - 9
Insights - November/December 2017 - 10
Insights - November/December 2017 - 11
Insights - November/December 2017 - 12
Insights - November/December 2017 - Intermodal Benefits from Technology Grow in 2017, Should Increase in Future
Insights - November/December 2017 - 14
Insights - November/December 2017 - 15
Insights - November/December 2017 - 16
Insights - November/December 2017 - 17
Insights - November/December 2017 - 18
Insights - November/December 2017 - Inland Port Projects Advance in East
Insights - November/December 2017 - 20
Insights - November/December 2017 - 21
Insights - November/December 2017 - 22
Insights - November/December 2017 - Optimism Builds for Intermodal Freight
Insights - November/December 2017 - 24
Insights - November/December 2017 - 25
Insights - November/December 2017 - 26
Insights - November/December 2017 - Food Safety Modernization Act Could Help Increase Temp Control Freight
Insights - November/December 2017 - 28
Insights - November/December 2017 - 29
Insights - November/December 2017 - Intermodal Rail Enhancements Continue in 2017, Focused on Service
Insights - November/December 2017 - 31
Insights - November/December 2017 - Government News
Insights - November/December 2017 - 33
Insights - November/December 2017 - International Intermodal News
Insights - November/December 2017 - Intermodal Information Services News
Insights - November/December 2017 - 36
Insights - November/December 2017 - Welcome New Members
Insights - November/December 2017 - People News
Insights - November/December 2017 - Intermodal Calendar
Insights - November/December 2017 - 40
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