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Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway are teaming up to speed eastbound intermodal trains from Los Angeles to the Southeast. On May 21, the Class Is will shift domestic container traffic from the Memphis, Tenn., gateway to a new Shreveport, La., gateway.

Combining UP’s L.A.-to-Texas Sunset Route with NS’ and Kansas City Southern’s joint venture Meridian Speedway line between Shreveport and Meridian, Miss., the new route is nearly 150 miles shorter than the current one.

The route will enable UP and NS to shorten standard service to Atlanta by one day to fifth-morning availability; provide BlueStreak premium service to Atlanta on the fourth afternoon; schedule L.A. cut-off times to later in the day so more shipments can depart on an evening train; originate all eastbound domestic shipments from UP’s L.A. intermodal terminal; and speed other Southeast destinations.

The railroads plan to shift westbound domestic service to the faster Shreveport gateway in the third quarter. NS and UP will continue to route international traffic via the Memphis gateway.