Ridge Development has announced the official launch of TransCold Express, a hub-to-hub refrigerated boxcar service operated by McKay TransCold that runs bi-directionally between Wilmington IL and Selma CA.
As the first refrigerated boxcar unit train connecting the Midwest and West Coast in more than half a century, TransCold Express presents produce growers and meat and dairy producers the opportunity to distribute products more cost-effectively and provides a link to all US destinations.
TransCold Express will operate on BNSF Railway, with cargo being transferred from truck to boxcar through a new refrigerated building operated by National Logistics and Cold Storage (NLCS). McKay TransCold and NLCS are hosting a grand opening Wednesday, May 21 at the TransCold Express hub in the RidgePort Logistics Center, a 1,500-acre industrial park 40 miles southwest of Chicago. RidgePort Logistics Center is being developed by Ridge Development, the industrial arm of Transwestern Development Co.
TransCold Express will haul products such as vegetables, fruit, cheese, and butter from California to the Midwest and carry meat, eggs, cheese, butter, finished goods, and dairy creamers westbound. The service takes four days to reach the Midwest from California—the same speed as by truck, but at a significantly lower cost. Depending on the circumstances, a shipper could save between 5% and 15% by using the boxcar service versus trucking. TransCold Express is also a more environmentally friendly method of transport, as one boxcar holds the same volume as four trucks, making it four times more fuel-efficient.
The NLCS building was designed for cargo to be transferred between trucks and boxcars. Developed by Ridge Development, the 49,000-square-foot refrigerated facility is approximately 700 feet long, allowing for eight boxcars to be unloaded at once; and just 70 feet wide, providing a minimal transfer distance between the two modes of transportation.
NLCS and McKay TransCold selected the RidgePort Logistics Center for TransCold Express because of expanded transportation and occupancy opportunities in the future as more of the acreage is developed.
Access www.ridgeportlogisticscenter.com for complete information. Learn more about BNSF at www.BNSF.com.
