(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on March 9, 2009.)
Last month, Kansas City Southern Railway Co. (KCSR) and Kansas City Southern de México S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) launched a new dedicated intermodal service between Kansas City, Mo., Dallas and several Mexican destinations.
The seven-day-a-week service represents the start-up of a key lane within the KCS International Intermodal Corridor and an alternative to the congested Chicago gateway for traffic moving between the northeastern U.S., Midwest and Mexico, Kansas City Southern officials said in an item posted on the “KCS News” Web site. The in-bond service offers market-competitive transit times and rates, fast and efficient border crossings, and a high level of security “unmatched by the trucking industry,” they said.
KCSR and KCSM officials expect the service to attract more shippers to the CenterPoint-KCS Intermodal Center in Kansas City and increase volumes out of Dallas.
“The initial results have been encouraging,” said Gil Niesen, KCSR assistant vice president of intermodal operations and administration. “Despite the macro-economic difficulties, volumes have increased each week since start-up, and we’re close to securing several significant volume deals with large shippers through our asset partners.”
This week, KCSR and KCSM, in cooperation with CSX Transportation, plan to extend the service through the East St. Louis gateway to distribution hubs in Worcester, Mass., and Little Ferry, N.J.