Terminal, truckers, rails, customers all have problems but our ports lag behind many others in world.
charlie hebdoTerminal, truckers, rails, customers all have problems but our ports lag behind many others in world.
I still think it is rather humorous they truck trailers across Chicago in all different directions between different railroad ramps instead of doing a direct rail interchange or using a direct transcontinental service offered by two class I's.
CMStPnP I still think it is rather humorous they truck trailers across Chicago in all different directions between different railroad ramps instead of doing a direct rail interchange or using a direct transcontinental service offered by two class I's.
It makes sense to me. Chicago is North America's rail clearinghouse. The Chicago metro area is one big yard. Boxes are sorted in the big yard so they can then be dispatched from there on the appropriate train to their destination.
When FedEx was just an overnight letter carrier, all letters were flown to Memphis, sorted at the airport there, and then flown to their destination whereever that was. The day's business each day ended and began during the lunchtime hours.
The UPS-BNSF operation at Willow Springs has been ongoing sense 1991 and is so very efficient.
CMStPnP charlie hebdo Terminal, truckers, rails, customers all have problems but our ports lag behind many others in world. I still think it is rather humorous they truck trailers across Chicago in all different directions between different railroad ramps instead of doing a direct rail interchange or using a direct transcontinental service offered by two class I's.
charlie hebdo Terminal, truckers, rails, customers all have problems but our ports lag behind many others in world.
Chicago is the 'Hump Yard' for East-West rail traffic, be that car load or intermodal.
From origin on either coast, it is exceedingly difficult to develop sufficient traffic to hold its identity from origin on one coast to destination on the other coast or intermedite points between Chicago and either coast. From a classification standpoint - send the trailer/boxes for classification and consolidation for destinations beyond Chicago in either direction - all of which overlooks a sizable portion of traffic that is actually destined to Chicago.
A 5-pack double stack rail car would need 10 boxes (FEU) going between origin and A SPCIFIC final destination to be effective, otherwise capacity is being wasted. It is exceedingly difficult to develop sufficient traffic for moves to be all rail through Chicago for any of the carriers.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDIt is exceedingly difficult to develop sufficient traffic for moves to be all rail through Chicago for any of the carriers.
The rails used to do so very well when there were a lot more than six railroads in and out of Chicago. And that was before they lost a huge market share to trucks.
charlie hebdo BaltACD It is exceedingly difficult to develop sufficient traffic for moves to be all rail through Chicago for any of the carriers. The rails used to do so very well when there were a lot more than six railroads in and out of Chicago. And that was before they lost a huge market share to trucks.
BaltACD It is exceedingly difficult to develop sufficient traffic for moves to be all rail through Chicago for any of the carriers.
Not with Intermodal. Carload yes, intermodal has been rubber tire interchange almost since the inception of trailers on flat cars.
There are several run through intermodal trains a day. Currently my employer has 3 scheduled intermodal trains off of the western carriers that only change crews in Chicago. That does not include extras.
An "expensive model collector"
Chicago crosstown drays have their place, and will continue too. Not all intermodal traffic is high volume. You still have many low volume lanes that would make it expensive to steelwheel between all the different terminals.
Have twonder how much time lost in CHI ? from time an inbound IM train stops at its yard, has the container onloaded to a carrier, hooked up to a tractor, travel across the CHI city to an outbound yard, let into that yard unloaded and placed on a flat oor well car. So what is the average time for all trailers and containers to transit that Fubar ?
If that average is longer than an originating yard would have to wait to completely load a train for beyond CHI? Now the yards beyond CHI will need to sort the IM cars which will require more tracks and personnel. Gets back to PSR. Around here the many IM trains have few 5 packers, some 3 packers and rest 2 or 1. Now also the spine cars ay have5 spors per unit but that of course is just single stack.
Another view of the congestion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d5d_HXGeMA
Thanks, Balt, for that link. One of the best explanations I've ever seen of ocean shipping, its recent changes, and its increasing problems.
Bruce KellyThanks, Balt, for that link. One of the best explanations I've ever seen of ocean shipping, its recent changes, and its increasing problems.
One way of looking at it - the US has 10K TEU ports and facilities in a 20K TEU 21st Century world.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.