I recently heard that CN is building an intermodal ramp in Chippewa Falls WI. I found an article in the Chippewa Hearld on-line regarding a zoning compliance meeting about such a ramp. I think it was from April 2011.
Have they broke ground on that project yet? We got eyes in Wisconsin. Has anybody seen any suspicious construction going on?
It make me nervous. I’m afraid the Canadians are going to load up all the Leinenkugels and take it home with them.
Well, it appears that the ramp is already in operation. See the US Intermodal Terminal listing here:
http://www.cn.ca/en/shipping-where-intermodal-terminals.htm
(formatting not great, but here is a clip n paste, presumably the hours indicate its open for business)
| Chippewa Falls, WI |
1160 West River Street Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin |
07:00 - 18:00 Monday to Saturday |
|---|
Very interesting. Very interesting indeed.
The CN had no US intermodal terminals north or west of Chicago. Now, according to the linked site, they have established two such terminals about 100 miles apart. (Minneapolis and Chippewa Falls, WI).
These terminals weren’t built on a whim. There’s some new intermodal marketing idea being implemented or at least tested. They’re after some truck business. I wonder what’s going on.
There is a small terminal at Chippewa Falls, WI but the location given for Minneapolis is only a customer drop point from which CN accepts delivery. They have no loading facility at that location which is across University Ave. NE from CP’s Shoreham Intermodal facility and just south of the “T” yard at BNSF’s Northtown Yard. The CN location is in the wedge between BNSF’s “T” yard along the mainline, and the remains of BNSF’s Grove Yard.
It doesn’t matter if the railroad is putting a flatcar under the load at Minneapolis or hooking the load to a highway tractor at Minneapolis. A train and a truck are but tools that do the same job.
Providing CN intermodal service to the Twin Cities is what’s important. Establishing what we used to call a “Paper Ramp” in the Twin Cities is a good way to develop business. When, and IF, CN’s marketing plan works out they can establish a for real intermodal terminal in the Twin Cities. You never know when entering a new market. You may win or you may loose. It’s best to limit your exposure. What’s important is that CN had evaluated its risk as best it can is willing to take a reasonable risk.
CN appears to have done that and I applaud them for it. We’ll see where this goes.
CN can’t open an actual ramp in the Twin Cities. They inherited some old Soo Line rights into the Cities when they bought the Wisconsin Central. Those rights are good for access to interchange traffic, but they can’t directly market to on-line customers, or do something like build an industrial park or a ramp
From a CN press release:
Today (Friday, February 3) marked the opening of its newest intermodal terminal at Chippewa Falls in a ribbon-cutting ceremony here. The terminal, located only 100 miles east of Minneapolis/St. Paul,offers Wisconsin and Minnesota customers new supply chain options to ship and receive goods in containers
…
The terminal offers twice weekly train service with fifth morning availability from the west coast for intermodal containers. Located on 8.5 acres of land at CN’s Chippewa Falls Yard, the terminal features a 2,500-foot-long intermodal loading and unloading track plus an onsite grain transfer facility…
Here’s a link to the article as published in the Sacramento Bee:
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/03/4237309/cns-newest-intermodal-terminal.html
Presumably the “grain transfer facility” is to transfer grains from trucks into containers.
Interesting, indeed. Whatever CN has got going on with their intermodal marketing approach I suppose it is refreshing to see something like this. I just wish it would lead to having the CN bringing intermodal service back to the former IC/ICG/CC Iowa Division.
Ok, what is in Chippy Falls to warrent an intermodal terminal with 2x week service?
Well,
Linnie’s Beer!
I’ll try again. I couldn’t edit or post last evening.
Menard’s is in nearby Eau Claire with its HQ and a DC. Wal Mart has a DC just down 94 at Tomah, WI. These could provide the terminal with a base of business consisting of containerized imports.
The Twin Cities is within economical drayage distance which could also open up Target Stores et al.
The terminal should also be able to handle business to/from the Fox Cities in Wisconsin (Green Bay, Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac.)
If CN wants some outbound there’s Bushes Beans which is also just a bit down 94.
FWIW, I was informed that the CN has had a ramp located in Arcadia, WI for a number of years although I’m not sure where Arcadia is located.
From what I’ve been hearing, it sounds like CN will start with international-type traffic but will take domestic traffic in marine boxes if they initially do not get enough imp/exp traffic.
Search for a post called “CN facility in Arcadia, WI”. It will answer all you questions about that ramp. I couldn’t figure out how to set up a link…
Walmart has a DC even closer in the other direction at Menomonie, WI on I-94. Service is supposed to be tri-weekly to Edmonton, Vancouver, BC and Prince Rupert. A block of cars is dropped EB by Q196 at Stevens Point and then hauled to Chip by L517.
The ramp at Arcadia, WI is privately owned and operated by Ashley Furniture. Arcadia is east of Winona, MN on the former GB&W.
What is being left unsaid here is frac sand. CN is shipping lots of frac sand out of the Chip Falls area and looks to be shipping a lot more in the future. Some of these plants are offline and need a flat spot next to the tracks to transfer to cars. Some of this is already going on right below the Hwy 53 bridges. This is not intermodal traffic but the facility needed is about the same.
Just a thought.
Since Chippewa Falls is basically on a CN branch, is the traffic to/from the new facility being switched off main line trains at Owen or Stevens Point and then handled to Chippewa Falls, and is this is dedicated Chippewa train?
The traffic is coming off the mainline train at Stevens Point, there is no good way to do it at Owen. The traffic is handled by the Minneapolis train which handles all the local work west of Owen.