BNSF, Norfolk Southern offer joint intermodal service

The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NS) have joined forces to offer coast-to-coast intermodal trailer service for time-sensitive premium freight moving between Southern California and Rutherford, PA and Croxton, NJ. BNSF provides the line-haul service between Southern California and Chicago, while NS provides the line-haul service between

Aug. 20, 2001

BNSF provides the line-haul service between Southern California and Chicago, while NS provides the line-haul service between Chicago and the East Coast. The train runs non-stop with only a crew change at NS’s Ashland Avenue Yard in Chicago. The service is designed to compete with premium over-the-road transportation offerings, said Steve Branscum, group VP for BNSF’s Consumer Products Business Unit.

“This reduces transcontinental rail transit time and allows customers with very time-sensitive freight the opportunity to sell coast-to-coast third and fourth day service to the marketplace – something previously only available through team driver over-the-road transportation,” Branscum said.

Both companies claim this new intermodal trailer service will decrease transit times between the east and west coast by at least half a day, while also reducing cross-town drayage through Chicago.