Over the past few years we've seen a shift in the intermodal landscape when it comes to contracts and exclusive carriers.
Looking at UP, here's their current exclusive agreements;
HUB Group-50K Containers(UP snagged HBGU from BNSF in 2008)
Schneider-30K Containers
STG Logistics-15K Containers
Knight-SWIFT-12K Containers
Let's also include the EMP/UMAX fleet which numbers 80K Containers. Also keep in mind EMP/UMAX is about as close to retail IM we get here stateside. APL Logistics also moved to UP a few years back yet I didn't inlcude their fleet being it only numbers around 4K Containers.
Most of these moves came at the behest of BNSF's contractual priority to J B Hunt traffic(JBH is expanding its current fleet to 150K going forward). Essentially these IMC/IEP's will benefit from UP having greater slot capacity for their traffic. This has resulted in recently announced fleet expansion from the former.
It will be interesting to see UP juggle its diverse IM customer base including its EMP/UMAX customer base. Yet UP is slowly making moves such as expanding its Colton IM Ramp, G2, expansion of Lathrop, upgrading of LATC which was completed a few years ago, and realignment of its IM network.
I've noticed that you haven't mentioned UPS at all. Also, why does UP have apparent excess capacity compared to BNSF?
Why does UP have excess capacity compared to BNSF? First, UP lost much more Powder River Basin coal traffic than BNSF, at least to date. UP had built new capacity to handle those now-gone trains. Second, UP had in recent years scaled back its intermodal services, ending service to quite a few places. The trains that remain mostly run slower, thanks to PSR. Finally, BNSF is busier because it seems to have been hustling harder for new business in recent years. Its Transcon route Chicago to LA seems especially hard to beat.
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Curious as to what percent of total intermodal the two transcons from LA move?
Thanks ns145 for that chart. Since it provides a gross ton mile comparison, I suspect that much of the difference is due to coal. BNSF has lost coal business too, but not as fast as UP.
IMO would like to see gross container miles of the 2 RRs or all six class 1s. Then translate that into average mileage of a container. However, that metric will be changed by average number of lifts of a container foreach RR. Also, a shorter length does have the metric of lifts at origin and destination which is a constant.
An extreme example that is not likely is how much more capacity is needed for a 500 mile vs 1500 mile average IM trip?
A couple of interesting things on the intermodal map. They show the ex-Rio Grande as an intermodal route. Are they single stacks? I thought the Moffat Tunnel didn't have the clearance for double stacks. Also they show BNSF's intermodal route to Denver thru Alliance, whereas, BNSF's own map shows the intermodals follow the direct route, same as Amtrak's Zephyr.
No "intermodal" thru Cascade Tunnel?
Usual question: does "net tonnage" include the weight of the container itself?
Agree with timz...what is the definition of net tons.
Anyone have a conversion factor to the number of units moved? That would be much more useful.
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MidlandMike A couple of interesting things on the intermodal map. They show the ex-Rio Grande as an intermodal route. Are they single stacks? I thought the Moffat Tunnel didn't have the clearance for double stacks. Also they show BNSF's intermodal route to Denver thru Alliance, whereas, BNSF's own map shows the intermodals follow the direct route, same as Amtrak's Zephyr.
There's quite a bit of errors on this map,
No IM traffic goes over the Rio Grande and hasn't in decades. All that traffic goes via Ogden, UT-Speer, WY for LA-SLC-Denver.
BNSF doesn't divert any IM traffic at Lincoln to Alliance then down to Brush, CO..
Way to many other errors to list, and shows the ignorance of our public agencies to provide accurate data.
SD60MAC9500Way to many other errors to list, and shows the ignorance of our public agencies to provide accurate data.
How many topo maps can be used to determine predecessor roads because they haven't been updated in years...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 SD60MAC9500 Way to many other errors to list, and shows the ignorance of our public agencies to provide accurate data. How many topo maps can be used to determine predecessor roads because they haven't been updated in years...
SD60MAC9500 Way to many other errors to list, and shows the ignorance of our public agencies to provide accurate data.
Wrong! https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-current-are-us-topo-maps
ns145Wrong! https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-current-are-us-topo-maps
The 2019 topo map for the central Adirondacks doesn't even show the Adirondack Railroad. At all. In fact, it shows the line ending short of Thendara. I'll be running over those invisible rails on Sunday.
The 1984 topo of western Oakland County, MI, still shows C&O as the owner of the rails there - 12 years after it became Chessie.
I've seen many instances around the country where the topo maps still reflect a fallen flag well after the railroad ceased to exist.
The 2019 topo maps don't even show rail line ownership - too many changes to even bother any more.
tree68 The 1984 topo of western Oakland County, MI, still shows C&O as the owner of the rails there - 12 years after it became Chessie. I've seen many instances around the country where the topo maps still reflect a fallen flag well after the railroad ceased to exist. The 2019 topo maps don't even show rail line ownership - too many changes to even bother any more.
Chessie was a marketing identity for the B&O and C&O who maintained their own corporate identities right up to a month or two before the B&O was merged into C&O that was then merged into SBD to become CSX.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDChessie was a marketing identity for the B&O and C&O who maintained their own corporate identities right up to a month or two before the B&O was merged into C&O that was then merged into SBD to become CSX.
I actually wondered about that...
tree68 BaltACD Chessie was a marketing identity for the B&O and C&O who maintained their own corporate identities right up to a month or two before the B&O was merged into C&O that was then merged into SBD to become CSX. I actually wondered about that...
BaltACD Chessie was a marketing identity for the B&O and C&O who maintained their own corporate identities right up to a month or two before the B&O was merged into C&O that was then merged into SBD to become CSX.
That was why you saw B&O, C&O or WM initials painted on the cab sides of Chessie painted locomotives.
B&O, C&O and WM each had their own waybills and their own 'accounting number'. B&O was 50; C&O was 125 and I didn't handle enough WM waybills to have their number capture a synapse in my brain.
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