advertisement

---

A day after Union Pacific Railroad announced it launched an expedited chemical service with Norfolk Southern Railway, the Class I said it formed a new expedited chemical service with CSX Transportation.

The joint “RailChem Connect” service will target chemicals moving between Texas’ Gulf Coast region and the Southeast, such as through Houston, southern Texas and Louisiana. The service enables trains to bypass smaller yards and provide expedited transit between major hubs.

During the past three years, UP and CSXT have reduced transit time between major markets by 25 percent and improved service consistency by 23 percent, according to the Class Is. Through RailChem Connect, the railroads plan to offer faster equipment turns and a shorter route than previously available for chemical moves in the corridor.

By reducing transit times and tightening delivery variability, the Class Is can “significantly improve reliability” for shippers, said Diane Duren, UP’s vice president and general manager of chemicals, in a prepared statement.