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CSX Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad Oct. 31 continued to foster Class Is' recent propensity for improving service through cooperative joint ventures. The two railroads plan to change their interline service to improve transit time and service consistency.


CSXT and UP created new traffic blocks moving eastbound between North Little Rock, Ark., and Cincinnati, and westbound between Cincinnati and Pine Bluff, Ark., designed to eliminate additional switching and reduce transit time by 24 hours in each direction.


The Class Is plan to invest in two new trains and create seven new block classifications to focus freight over targeted interchange gateways and enable shipments to move more quickly through a gateway without handling.


CSXT's and UP's new interline service would target five major gateways: Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, Memphis, Tenn., and Salem/St. Elmo, Ill.


Officials at both Class Is believe their enhanced service will reduce transit times in both short- and long-haul lanes, and complement high-growth markets in Texas, Mexico and the Ohio Valley.


"Our work with UP is a prime example of the cooperative efforts we have in place with several railroads in efforts to drive high quality and growth across North America," said CSX Corp. Chief Executive Officer John Snow in a prepared statement.


CSXT and UP in August added Philadelphia as a destination for their joint guaranteed Express Lane perishable-goods service, which the Class Is started in April 2000. The railroads guarantee the transit time of freight moving between California's San Joaquin Valley, Idaho and selected points in Washington and Oregon, to New York City, Boston, Atlanta, central Florida and Philadelphia.