US Airways - April 2014 - (Page 54)

TRUCKS AND TRAINS PLAY WELL TOGETHER Intermodal transportation boosts the bottom line in Charlotte USA. By Gina Carroll Howard ★ 54 APRIL 2014 usairwaysmag.com FOR MORE ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE REGION, GO TO CHARLOTTEUSA.COM. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Trucks, trains, and planes mean hours of fun for children. But for Charlotte USA, they mean business. Norfolk Southern Corporation is betting that road and rail cargo transport will play an Charlotte is a busy place and has become busier now increasing role in the that Norfolk Southern has opened a $92 million intermodal facility at the Charlotte airport. Charlotte region's economy. Since intermodal facilities can take a right past the airport and easy highway decade or more to build, the railroad access for trucks, the location in the looks for cities that are ripe for signifiworld's second-largest hub is ideal. As cant growth. Charlotte fits that profile, planes taxi, take off, and land nearby, thanks to its progressive nature and pro-business culture - not to mention about 200,000 cargo containers will transfer annually between trucks and its prime location in the middle of the trains. And that's just the beginning. railroad's Crescent Corridor. "From Charlotte, we can move Norfolk Southern recently relocated domestic and international traffic from its local intermodal operation from a anywhere in the U.S.," says Jeff Heller, landlocked 40-acre site with encroachNorfolk Southern vice president of ing residential growth to 200 acres at Charlotte Douglas International Airport intermodal and automotive marketing. "The Charlotte region has a huge (CLT). With its main line running consumer base. It's a magnet that pulls trade into the area. This new facility is a showcase and can be front and center in business development. It's modern and has access to both coasts and all major manufacturing and distribution centers in the country. It helps reinforce Charlotte's reputation as a viable manufacturing and distribution center." It also helps the Charlotte airport retain its low-cost status. "Norfolk Southern's lease provides the airport with a secondary revenue source that directly offsets airport operating costs," says Brent Cagle, interim aviation director. "This is a tremendous benefit to our airline partners and ultimately to the passengers they serve." Cagle believes that complementary companies will locate distribution centers on surrounding properties that the airport has acquired. These leases would provide the airport with another secondary revenue source. The airport/railroad relationship is a symbiotic one that benefits CLT, Norfolk Southern, and Charlotte USA. Both Cagle and Heller agree that the two operations are highly compatible. "With the airport site, we're not creating any more noise or lights than already are there," Heller notes. And Cagle predicts that Norfolk Southern's intermodal facility and Charlotte Douglas International Airport "will be great neighbors." It sounds like they'll play well together. http://www.usairwaysmag.com http://www.CHARLOTTEUSA.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - April 2014

Table of Contents
Perspective: CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know
Hot Spots: Bars and Restaurants with a View
Connections: Everybody's Business
Golf: Michigan
Gatherings: Grandover Resort, North Carolina
Gear Up: Travel Gear
Style Spotlight: Derby Duds
Great Escapes: Paladium Resorts
Great Tastes: Bonefish Grill
Travel Feature: Highway 30A, Florida
US Airways Feature: oneworld alliance
Make-A-Wish
Charlotte USA
Best of Living: Reef Residences
Santa Barbara: Culture Redefined
Best of Health: Miami Beach Foot & Ankle Surgery
Must Read: The Critical First Years of Your Professional Life
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Audio Entertainment
Video Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
oneworld alliance
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - April 2014