U.S. Intermodal Map Shifting East, Norfolk Southern Railway Begins Double-Stack Service on Heartland Corridor

NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Railway will open its Heartland Corridor intermodal corridor this week, capping an effort years in the making to cut a new path through the rugged Appalachian Mountains that supporters of freight rail transport believe will change the landscape of shipping in eastern United States and expand efforts to push highway freight onto rails.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/NY60281 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/NY60281 )

The bold effort to accommodate double-stack train height is Norfolk Southern's last step in a set of construction projects totaling $321 million. Investments and upgrades moving forward the Heartland route – a diagonal line from Virginia ports to Midwest retail – will, however, provide efficiencies for the network overall and support national transportation goals of reducing highway congestion and emissions and making the U.S. freight supply chain more competitive for global trade.

"We are faced with serious infrastructure challenges in moving cargo within and through out the country," said Joni Casey, president and CEO of the Intermodal Association of North America. "The Heartland Corridor and similar projects are excellent examples of flexible, market-oriented partnerships between the private and public sectors."

Combined with rival CSX Transportation's National Gateway corridor, and Norfolk Southern's own Crescent Corridor – arcing from the Mississippi Delta to New York – and its partnerships with Kansas City Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railway that provide cross-country links, East Coast rail is rising above competition. The breadth of this new map, and its links to the expected Panama Canal cargo increase, are becoming game changers in the contest for freight from all corners.

In this week's Cover Story, The Journal of Commerce analyzes the massive changes occurring in the new intermodal corridors and what Norfolk Southern's landmark infrastructure project will mean for supply chains in the critical Midwest market.

To view daily news visit www.joc.com. For all media enquires, including article reprints, please contact Editorial Director Paul Page.

Since 1827, The Journal of Commerce has been the most trusted source of intelligence for international logistics executives to help them plan global supply chains and better manage day-to-day transportation of goods and commodities in the United States and internationally.

To become a member of The Journal of Commerce click here. JOC members have access to our weekly print and digital magazine and Web site, as well as a 10% discount on all JOC events and trade shows, UBM Global Trade Directories and select PIERS products. Authoritative editorial content in the form of daily news, weekly analysis and regular features ensure our members have the information and data necessary to understand the issues facing trucking, rail and maritime transportation. Members enjoy access to "By the Numbers," an exclusive weekly compilation of key industry statistics that provides detailed views of current market trends across all modes. Regular market intelligence reports -- utilizing PIERS trade data -- include Top 100 Imports and Exporters, quarterly Top 40 Container lines, Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Maritime Forecasts and Top Container Ports and Terminals. Market-sector supplements, including Breakbulk, Cool Cargoes, 3PL, JOC Guide to Trucking and others, ensure all modes are comprehensively covered.  

About UBM Global Trade - UBM Global Trade is the leading provider of proprietary data, news, business intelligence and analytical content supporting commercial maritime, rail, trucking, warehousing and logistics industries worldwide. The company's portfolio of more than 100 online, print and interactive workflow business solutions includes The Journal of Commerce, Breakbulk, RailResource, PIERS Global Intelligence Solutions and an array of international trade and transportation databases and directories. UBM Global Trade, a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited, is headquartered in Newark, NJ, with offices throughout the United States. For more information, explore www.ubmglobaltrade.com or call 800-223-0243 (+1-973-848-7250 outside the U.S. or Canada).

SOURCE The Journal of Commerce

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