def
Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway have teamed up to provide a new expedited chemical service. The Class Is recently introduced the Gulf Coast Flyer to move chemicals between UP-served locations in southern Texas and Louisiana, and NS destinations in the Northeast and Southeast.
Eastbound and westbound shipments between the Class Is will connect in the Salem, Ill., and New Orleans gateways.
During the past two years, UP and NS have spent about $740 million to build or improve terminals, mainlines, bridges and sidings along Gulf Coast Flyer lanes. As a result, transit times and service consistency has improved in the lanes by 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, according to the railroads.
The faster transit times “lower inventory carrying costs for customers [and] allow them to turn their private equipment faster, getting better utilization from their assets,” said Diane Duren, UP vice president and general manager of chemicals, in a prepared statement.
Source: Progressive Railroading Daily News