CN, NS reengineer Chicago connection to save transit times

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
image description
Canadian National

An agreement between Canadian National (CN) and Norfolk Southern Corporation that allows the Class 1s to bypass Chicago is saving up to 48 hours in transit time.

 

The railroads announced the new joint interline service initiative Oct. 27, but the agreement has been in place since August and is cutting one to two days for carload traffic between Western Canada and NS destinations in the Eastern United States.

CN and NS are interchanging two eastbound and two westbound manifest trains daily through greater Chicago, connecting CN’s network in Western Canada and NS’ network in the Eastern United States as part of the new service. Traffic is interchanging at NS’ major rail yard in Elkhart, Ind., avoiding extra handlings in the Chicago terminal.

Jim Squires, Norfolk Southern chairman, president and chief executive officer, said: “Together, CN and NS have re-engineered our Chicago connections to provide shippers with a new superior-service shipping option. Customers on both railways are seeing faster and more reliable service, benefitting their supply chains.”

Luc Jobin, CN president and chief executive officer, said: “Through collaboration, CN and NS are bringing more efficiencies to the supply chain as we deliver higher and more reliable levels of service to our customers.”

CN and NS continue to explore adding additional traffic to the new interline service.

Tags: