I am trying to get a handle on NS Intermodal CHicago - NYC/New Jersey operations, primarily the premium UPS and truckload business. I understand that NS handles considerable stacks for JBH, but there are also UPS vans and other truckload carriers on certain intermodal trains.
What is the New Jersey terminal for the UPS trains? CSX runs to North Bergen, NJ with their UPS trains and seems to run a couple each way daily (Q010 is the hot one in the morning).
I am fascinated by the relationship of UPS and the rails. Not much is published about this as UPS seems to have a no publicity policy. NS runs a UPS train EB thru Porter, In around 8am which is about the same time Q010 runs.
Are the two railroads in competition for the Chicago - NYC market? Or does UPS award business for one market based on performance (all or none service). Looking back the Q010 is a decendent of the Conrail Mail 8. Is that accurate?
NS’s UPS traffic lands at Croxton. UPS tends to let out contracts by lane and gets the carriers compete for the contract. They will often try to play one against the other to keep performance up on the carrier they actually prefer for that lane.
At the NS/CSX split of Conrail, CSX walked away with the Chicago - NJ UPS traffic. Part of it was CSX had hired CR’s intermodal scheduling guru. Part of it was CSX’s plan to upgrade service to 70 mph.
Mail8 was a “PRR” side train on Conrail. It’s analog on NS is 20E, Englewood to Croxton. CSX’s Q010 is likely the old TV10.
I’m not sure who holds what lanes for UPS these days.
I have a listing of NS intermodals and there are four Chicago - Croxton’s daily:
20E and 20K out of 63rd STreet and 20W and 24Z out of Ashland Avenue. My take on things is that anything out of Ashland is usually a run thru from BNSF or UP and probably are stack trains. I heard the 20E this morning at 7am, so my guess it is the morning “mail” train.
Conrail Freight Schedules, 2nd edition shows:
Mail 8 leaving Chicago-Englewood at 530am with arrival in North Bergen at 1000am the following morning
TV 10 shows a departure from Chicago - Englewood at 130am with arrival in North Bergen at 840am the following morning.
Q010 is thru NW Indiana at 8am daily and is loaded with UPS trailers. My guess is even with the routing on the old NYC from Cleveland east, it has assumed the Mail 8 schedule. This is the only daily Chicago to North Bergen CSX train, everything else to NJ seems to be stacks.
BTW, Conrail refered to “Mail Trains” and “TV” trains (intermodal). What was the difference between the two designations?