Cold Train adds resources to accommodate refrigerated cargo growth

Cold Train recently expanded its refrigerated container fleet to more than 400 53-foot containers and added new East Coast destinations due to the continued growth of its express intermodal service with BNSF Railway Co. between Washington and Oregon, and points in the Midwest and East.

Cold Train now transports refrigerated cargo from Washington and Oregon to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. In addition, regular express service has begun from Washington and Oregon to Toronto.

In early 2010, Rail Logistics launched the Cold Train in partnership with BNSF and the Port of Quincy, Wash. Since then, shipments of Washington state fresh produce and frozen foods have grown at a fast pace, Cold Train officials said in a press release. More recently, Cold Train began a similar eastbound express intermodal service from Portland, Ore.

Fo far in 2013, Cold Train has been transporting about 700 containers per month from Quincy and Portland, and expects to reach 1,000 by year's end. Continued business growth has prompted the Cold Train to hire more staff and add more office space at its Overland Park, Kan., headquarters, open a Chicago office and begin an expansion project in Quincy.

Cold Train also recently promoted Wayne Pilkinton to chief financial officer and April Withers, to vice president of operations. Both joined the company in staff accounting and operations positions.