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BNSF to close Fresno intermodal facility
100 miles in California must not seem as long of a distance as in the Eastern States.
Thats the first Ive heard. If its not worth it, companies will close it. Thats true with any company.
It isn’t necessarily a move to save money because the bean counters are trying to save the company money, it could also be an operations improvement. If there were any trains originating or terminating at the Fresno, now there will be less trains which opens up additional capacity on the mainlines. Likewise, trains that picked up or dropped off blocks of cars at Fresno can now just continue through without stopping which could potential shave 30 to 60 minutes off the transit times.
I wonder if the intermodal terminal at Empire, Ca., where a lot of Salinas and San Joaquin Valley’s refrigerated fruit and vegetable carrying trailers started their trips east.
Empire, on the SFe Valley main’ is about 5 miles east of Modesto.
Stockton or LA…wonder, wonder…
I always question this type of closure, which is not unique to BNSF. Essentially you are downloading costs to the shipper who now has a much longer road haul. He may also choose competitive options now that the shipper has lost the convenience of local pick-up or drop-off.
The bean counters see the expense eliminated, but any revenue lost as a result is of course invisible. “Oh, income is down, good thing we closed the facility.”
John, I agree with Dave’s point and see this as what point do you have too many intermodal facilities. Too many and you essentially create loose car traffic that destroys the efficiencies and thus the cost benefits of putting something in a trailer and then the trailer on another mode of transportation. A shipper is looking at overall cost from endpoint to endpoint. Another way to look at it, bean counting does matter as neither the shipper or railroad would be in business if they were not counting
Let’s see if they follow competitors UP tactic and open up a paper ramp, which is quite simple and still allows for all of the local drop and pull pick ups, which I believe still exist, even though I’ve been out of the logistics business for 10 yrs, when I worked at the former Pacer Global Logistics there was always a shortage of intermodal equipment in Fresno for both the UP and BNSF, so it’s not for a lack of business, BNSF did have a daily train that originated in Fresno.
A 100 mile run is short. Look at the intermodal facilities in the Midwest. Unless one is located in the metro areas of CHI, KC, STL, or another major city, the dray is easily over 100 miles. Example Omaha to KC.