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BNSF Railway and CSX launched several faster intermodal schedules for coast-to-coast transport connectivity, according to a Nov. 14 press release.
As of Nov. 17, BNSF now operates five-day-a-week intermodal schedules from Los Angeles to many CSX destinations, as well as new service lanes:
Origin
Destination
Transit
Transit Improvement
Los Angeles
Northwest Ohio
89 hours
New Expedited Service
Los Angeles
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
123 hours
28 hours
Los Angeles
Columbus, Ohio
115 hours
28 hours
Los Angeles
Louisville, Kentucky
109 hours
New Service
Los Angeles
Northwest Ohio ICTF
105 hours
22 hours
Los Angeles
Philadelphia
158 hours
New Service
Los Angeles
South Kearny, New Jersey
126 hours
32 hours
Los Angeles
Springfield, Massachusetts
136 hours
52 hours
Los Angeles
Syracuse, New York
140 hours
26 hours
SOURCE: BNSF Railway
A map of services from BNSF Los Angeles to CSX destinations.
Courtesy of BNSF Railroad
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The new schedules aim to boost speed, flexibility and optionality for shippers moving freight across the U.S., per the press release.
The new schedules went live as the rail industry undergoes significant changes. While some railroads have opted to merge over the last few years, including the recent proposal to combine Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern networks, others have been teaming up to streamline rail services.
Earlier this year, for instance, BNSF and Norfolk Southern redesigned an intermodal service between the Northwest Seaport Alliance and Chicago, boosting shipping speeds by three days. In June, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, BNSF and Mexico-based rail provider GMXT launched a cross-border rail intermodal freight delivery service between the U.S. and Mexico.
More recently in September, CSX and CN announced plans to start an intermodal service connecting Canada’s West Coast gateways through Memphis, Tennessee, and directly into Nashville, Tennessee. The service aims to serve as a rail alternative for cargo that typically moves by trucking and steel-wheel interchange, potentially reducing highway truck traffic.
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