Could a itty bitty short line act as a feeder service for Intermodal Containers and interchange them in general freight service?
Highly unlikely these days as intermodal hubs have gotten larger and almost all of the small piggyback ramps that handled only a handful of trailers a day have been abandoned. Intermodal loses much of its advantage to the railroad if a multiplicity of small ramps need to be served, making the intermodal train that serves those ramps little more than a local that handles TOFC instead of boxcars.
There’s at least one railroad in north-central New Jersey that’s intending to do exactly that (according to Progressive Railroading magazine):
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/freightnews/article.asp?id=8067
In the right place and time and with the right equipment, all things are possible…
LC
The “Susie-Q”, the Susquehanna Railroad used to get a lot of publicity in TRAINS for run Intermodals in conjunction with the Norfolk Southern, they ran across the “Southern Tier” line across New York, and into New Jersey, although I do not know if they are still doing that now.
Pacific Harbor Line Inc
Los Angeles CA
http://www.Anacostia.com/phl/phl.html
I remember when the Suzie Q started up with the Intermodal business. It is being in the right place at the right time. They were a good alternative to dealing with NJT. Though I think the traffic has tapered off since the Conrail split. They are hauling a lot of garbage these days.
They no longer haul the Intermodal Trains anymore after the CSX, NS and Conrail Merger.
I was thinking in a underserved market…Jamestown Ny NY&P on the old Erie Laccawanna might be a example
[8D]
Here is one in the making, a middle Tennessee east-west connector, which shall be run in part by the Nashville & Eastern, across the Tennessee Central Heritage rail line. http://www.herald-citizen.com/NF/omf.wnm/herald/news_story.html?rkey=0038812+cr=gdn
Thanks, Allen, for the good news. Hope this is successful!
Shortlines can participate in intermodal by developing a terminal and convincing shippers to use it. The P&W in Worceseter is a good example of this.
There was a “Hoosier Lift” in Reynolds, IN on the Toledo, Peoria, & Western track just east of I-65. TP&W ran them west to BN allowing trucks to avoid Chicago. I drove by last October and it was VERY QUIET for an intermodal facility. I don’t know if BN lost interest after merging with ATSF (which at one time owned the TP&W), or what happened. So if a short line wants to succeed, it needs a lot of truck traffic with a good connection and routings to various destinations.
Boy, that has pretty much just dwindled and died out there, hasn’t it? Shame too, with everything one hears about Chicago congestion.
THERE was a viable alternative to Chicago, that has been let go to seed.
Any time you want to move traffic off one railroad you get into the issue of joint rates. If the larger railroad does not want to share the wealth the short line has little chance of getting a favorable split with the class one. A second disadvantage is the intermodal shipments also have a rubber tire component so they can load at any intermodal terminal so traffic originating on the short line can escape the short line service are by the high ways.
Class 1 carriers want to maximize the investment in their terminal investment and that means moving the maximum number of boxes and trailers through the gate. They would rather have the place plugged than let even one shipment come from off line.
Good Luck with the project. See if you can get at least a free lunch from some marketing manager from the class 1 for your time.
Another wau is to but a bunch of trailers and lease them to say UPS or one of the other package or LTL companies.
The Hoosierlift is actually a bit further west, located between Remington and Wolcott.[:)]
BNSF and TP&W ended their joint intermodal service to the Hoosierlift in October 2003 and then discontinued their East Peoria operation in late January 2004. Canadian National, however, continues to make use of TP&W’s East Peoria facility for mostly Caterpillar business moving through the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Some business moves through Vancouver, BC.
Since November, the Hoosierlift has been mostly used to load autoracks for GM with most destined for California.
The St.L&A and CN have a good deal going. Auburn, Maine has an intermodal facility and has had it for a number of years.
Not saying it cannot be done in specific markets, but not every intermodal project is going to work. I work in the intermodal marketing business and it is all about costs and the need for a margin with the bottomline providing a rate and service competitive option to highway. Those involved in doing the research need to understand rail vs highway options and also rail controlled vs private equipment options. Equipment can range from 20/40/45 foot steamship containers to the domestic 48/53 containers. Lots of things to keep in mind and reseach to do before anything happens. I have seen many projects started and abandoned when the reality of intermodal transportation sets in. It is a great business, but not for the faint of heart. Ted
What about Road-Railers? I threw some stuff out on a forum several weeks back,about light rail freight, to see what would happen. One of the things I wanted to bring up was Road Railers(I think NS is misusing them)
Also Trash hauling involves a lot of intermodal, remember E-Max Containers?
Examples of shortlines in Intermodal,Wheeling & West Virginia, They have a ramp outside Pittsburg & run to somewhere near Toledo?
New England Central, runs a ramp outside Springfield,Ma
Though I wouldn’t count as a shortline Florida East Coast, used to do a lot of business Jacksonville,Fl to Miami. They also Pick up loads as far away as Atlanta & Macon, Ga & send by road to Jacksonville.
Rgds
narig01