When I ended up out here I could not help but notice these huge way out of place monster cranes that looked like Giant Praying Mantis out of a grade b horror movie. During the time I was there i also noticed that there is only a handfull of JB Hunt trucks picking up containers out of this yard a day so most of the traffic is from train to train. I was thinking rather then use huge crains would it not have it been better to create a hump at Stanley yard up in Toledo and hump the cars that way? and instead of way out here have a intermodal sorting hub in a inner city where folks actualy need jobs and can take public transporation to. I am not sure what the brains at CSX were thinking when they built this. No other railroad has or wants to copy this.
How do you hump a 5 packer at Stanley that has 6 boxes for LA and 4 boxes for Portland?
CSX Intermodal originates and terminates shipments from ports all along the East Coast - Jacksonville, Savannah, Portsmouth, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. N.Baltimore is bult on the idea consolidating and separating boxes as necessary and to eliminate highway interchange of boxes to get through Chicago. It permits BNSF & UP to load all their East Coast boxes on a car(s) or train load and ship it East to N.Baltimore, where the boxes can be transloaded to car(s) and trains destined to the port areas.
Back in the day when all intermodal trains terminated in Chicago - ALL interchange between carriers was done over the highway, with resultant additional highway congestion in the Chicago area. Real Estate in N.Baltimore is much lower in cost that it would be anywhere in the Chicago area.
Each carrier has their own physcial characteristics to deal with and those characteristics are rarely the same. Each set of characteristics demand unique solutions to maximize the bottom line.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
http://www.joc.com/rail-intermodal/intermodal-shipping/csx-boosts-capacity-ohio-intermodal-hub-volume-builds_20150323.html
IF that's paywalled - try: https://www.google.com/#q=north+baltimore+ohio+intermondal+lifts and the joc link.
I would think for frieght headed West or East that Ohio geographically makes sense as a location to shift the containers around if needed by end distribution point as if you head much farther East I think your choice of destinations or ports by rail route efficiency dwindles. Seems to me that you would want to block containers on flatcars much as boxcars used to be blocked in a frieght by final destination or for those containers just traveling across the continent by the name of the ship they are going to ship out on.
Looks to me like the future of heavy-industrial building in the U.S. Misses the expensive real estate and all, or most of, the NIMBYs.
I'd say CSX showed brains and imagination in its site selection.
Consider that UP's Global III is, for all intents and purposes, also in the middle of a cornfield...
North Baltimore is on CSX's "Chicago Line." Pretty much THE east-west CSX mainline.
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...
http://www.joc.com/rail-intermodal/class-i-railroads/csx-transportation/csx-plans-expand-ohio-intermodal-hub_20140116.html
Do a Google (or other) search for "csx intermodal north baltimore ohio" and you'll find lots.
Briefly, it's one of the 'hubs' in CSX's developing 'hub-and-spoke' intermodal network.
- Paul North.
Simply put - it's essentially the "Chicago Yard" for CSX's intermodal traffic - they do the same thing with containers and trailers that Willard does with carload freight.
Why not in northern Ohio? CSX built an intermodal yard in Chambersburg, PA some 70 or so miles from Baltimore as the crow flies. It is off of the old Western Maryland line on the south side of town. You access it off of Kriner road just a couple of hundred feet east of of Interstate 81 at the Wayne Avenue exit. CSX build this intermodal yard to get some of the Harrisburg and .Mechanicsburg intermodal traffic which has been dominated by Norfolk southern. CSX has a good reason to build a yard in Northern Ohio, just as they did in Chambersburg.
The hub and spoke happens because there are increasing numbers of intermodal terminals. As more terminals are built network theory enters. For each terminal started every other one adds one more possible destination.
So from whole trains to one destination from another you can get one unit a week from one to another. That over simplifies but points out the need for spokes to consolidate for a destination.
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Hub and spoke works for individual containers the same as hub and spoke in the air line industry works for individual people.
Brownfield redevelopment is the "in thing" where I am at in in Western New York. The former Bethelham Steel Site in Laccawanna has a wind farm and CN Lumber Distrubition Faclity. The new CSX Intermodal Yard http://www.mckeesrocks.com/ in Mckeesrocks outside of Pittsburgh is in the former P&LE yards and shops and is on a BRT Line. Toledo has no shortage of former auto and glass factory sites and has unused space along its port.
Here is the German Container yard in action -
https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEViSvA7tXunsARrAnnIlQ?p=hamburg+marshalling+yard&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004#id=10&vid=d1141660157c27ec8388aa9995f96041&action=view
kgbw49 Hub and spoke works for individual containers the same as hub and spoke in the air line industry works for individual people.
However, airline hubs are not situated in the middle of nowhere. They are in major metro areas: ORD, ATL, DFW, SEA, etc.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Willard has the space as well and the terminal facilities. Chambersburg PA happened because the Hagerstown MD politico establishment had there hands out for "contributions" and graft and PA taxes are much lower.
schlimm kgbw49 Hub and spoke works for individual containers the same as hub and spoke in the air line industry works for individual people. However, airline hubs are not situated in the middle of nowhere. They are in major metro areas: ORD, ATL, DFW, SEA, etc.
Maybe because that's where the cities built the big airports?
And, they built the big airports somewhat close to where the people who would use them live and/or work?
Johnny
Deggesty And, they built the big airports somewhat close to where the people who would use them live and/or work?
I'm not sure about other cities, but when Chicago Municipal Airport was opened, the only thing that was near it was Clearing Yard. When O'Hare Field was opened, it was also at the edge of the built-up areas and not particularly close to anything.
CSSHEGEWISCH Deggesty And, they built the big airports somewhat close to where the people who would use them live and/or work? I'm not sure about other cities, but when Chicago Municipal Airport was opened, the only thing that was near it was Clearing Yard. When O'Hare Field was opened, it was also at the edge of the built-up areas and not particularly close to anything.
'cause that's where the land was available! Heck I cauld bicycle to Midway from the inner city.
Name an airport that was originally built 'downtown'. None were, they were all built in relatively uninhabited areas because of the need for cheap land to build them upon, as well as the potential to acquire more land economically as the runway requirements for planes increased over time.
If the runway requirements for future planes greatly exceed those of today, there will be a new round of airport construction further out in the boonies as most airports today have the same constriction of development building up around them as the railroads have in metropolitan areas. Transportation hubs breed development, development constricts the original hubs causing the creation of new hubs.
BaltACDName an airport that was originally built 'downtown'.
Lindbergh Field (SAN) was built pretty close to downtown San Diego (couple of miles).
You miss the points. When the hub and spoke era started, Hartsfield, O'Hare and DFW were already in the heart of metro areas. Heck, even when built, they were not far from the downtowns of the core cities. The 'hub' the CSX built is 120 miles to Cleveland, 109 to Columbus. But...it's only 37 miles to that huge metroplolis called Toledo.
Midway started as an airport in 1923 and by 1931 claimed to be the world's busiest. It's 8 miles from the loop, really far. And O'Hare is way, way out - 17 miles!!
The point is to locate facilities reasonably close to customers. By way of contrast in the railroad world, compare UPRR's various Global facilities with CSX's choice. Global II (Proviso) is in the heart of the metro area, about 16 miles from the Loop. The newer Global III and IV are 80 miles and 45 miles from the Loop, though much closer to most of the industrial parks and warehouse areas.
CSX's N. Baltimore facility is a good idea. But not all good ideas work. It takes a lot of commitment and hard work to make ideas work in reality. I hope CSX has those requirements in spades.
It's all about the need for aggregation, the Achilles Heel of rail transportation in its competition with trucking.
A truckload over the road carrier can take an aggregation of 30,000 - 46,000 pounds of freight and just go. A railroad has to further aggregate such shipments in to economical trainload lots before movement. This causes delay to the rail movement. Shipments must wait while other loads arrive at the termial until an economical size production unit is assembled. (production unit = freight train).
N. Baltimore, OH is a concept designed to minimize this inherent disadvantage of rail transportation. It's not so much a terminal as it is a classification yard for containers. (It can, and will, also function as a terminal.)
The best example I know of was the CSX plan to operate an intermodal service between Louisville, KY and N. Baltimore. Louisville does have freight to haul. It produces appliances, whiskey, and cigarettes among other things. But there is not enough volume to support a dedicated IM train to any one specific destination. That's because it's not possible to aggregate the loads in a timely fashion to any one specific destination. (The Achilles Heel strikes again.)
Going through N. Baltimore CSX will be able to aggregate freight out of Louisville to several destinations instead of one. And do so in a timely manner. At N. Baltimore the Louisville origins will be placed on trains going to destinations located from Montreal to Baltimore.
That's the basis for N. Baltimore. And it's a reasonable, thought out, good idea.
BaltACDName an airport that was originally built 'downtown'. None were, they were all built in relatively uninhabited areas because of the need for cheap land to build them upon, as well as the potential to acquire more land economically as the runway requirements for planes increased over time. If the runway requirements for future planes greatly exceed those of today, there will be a new round of airport construction further out in the boonies as most airports today have the same constriction of development building up around them as the railroads have in metropolitan areas. Transportation hubs breed development, development constricts the original hubs causing the creation of new hubs.
The people who planned Denver International appear to have done their homework. Many hub airports have been surrounded by development that limits future options. Denver has 54.2 square miles of land they can expand on and prevent development from encroaching on their space.
Norm
I see North Baltimore as more of a sorting facility than a destination. Sure, some containers will be trucked to nearby cities but the rest will be sorted by destination and sent on their way.
Also with the proximitiy of I-75 it makes it a plus.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
schlimm You miss the points. When the hub and spoke era started, Hartsfield, O'Hare and DFW were already in the heart of metro areas. Heck, even when built, they were not far from the downtowns of the core cities. The 'hub' the CSX built is 120 miles to Cleveland, 109 to Columbus. But...it's only 37 miles to that huge metroplolis called Toledo.
Of course if you look at the air freight hub and spoke you get different picture. UPS has hubs in huge cities like Louisville and Rockford, Kitty Hawk was located the massive metro of Fort Wayne, and Burlington Air Express is in Toledo. Fedex is a little better, using Memphis and Indy.
schlimmThe point is to locate facilities reasonably close to customers. By way of contrast in the railroad world, compare UPRR's various Global facilities with CSX's choice. Global II (Proviso) is in the heart of the metro area, about 16 miles from the Loop. The newer Global III and IV are 80 miles and 45 miles from the Loop, though much closer to most of the industrial parks and warehouse areas.
What is your point? You conveniently leave out the fact that CSX has two facilities in the Chicago area, 59th St, located in the city proper, and Bedford Park, located next to Midway. Those facilities serve the same function as UP's global ramps, the NW Ohio ramp is for a whole different purpose.
An "expensive model collector"
Seems quite complicated. O'Hare is #4 in the US in airfreight, much of it international and with a high value: In Chicago, rail value is $533/ton, truck = $1297/ton and airfreight = $80,194/ton in 2014 (from CMAP).
schlimmSeems quite complicated.
It is only complicated to minds that can't comprehend it.
BaltACD schlimm Seems quite complicated. It is only complicated to minds that can't comprehend it.
schlimm Seems quite complicated.
Gee, you really must enjoy insults. You never miss an opportunity to make personal attacks. Sure, I question the assumptions and conventional wisdom expressed by some on here. Often they are right. But frequently they cannot give a coherent explanation or back up contentions with facts. It's known as an exchange of ideas which does not require ad hominem attacks as you do.
n012944, unlike you, gave a lot of reasoned, relevant information that explains the purpose of the CSX facility.
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