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BNSF Railway Co. is reducing transit time for international containers moving between Pacific Northwest ports and Central U.S. terminals.

Yesterday, the Class I announced it’s launching an express international container service from ports in Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., to intermodal facilities in Memphis, Tenn., and Elwood, Ill. (BNSF Logistics Park - Chicago).

Initially, BNSF will offer one full train weekly from either port to either terminal per a schedule matching ocean carriers’ discharge/dray. The railroad plans to expand the service as interest grows.

"This express service can cut down transit time by almost a full day, making it one of the fastest intermodal cargo services from the Pacific Northwest to Chicago and Memphis," said Steve Branscum, BNSF group vice president-consumer products marketing, in a prepared statement.

BNSF is expanding capacity at the Memphis facility, which will feature five of the largest wide-span cranes in North America, automated checkpoints, and an environmentally friendly process for moving trailers and containers between rail and the highway, the Class I said.