Articles
Rail

Intermodal is Just the Ticket
With rail facility and infrastructure upgrades nailed down and intermodal network improvements on track, these ports and sites are riding high on intermodal’s advantages.
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NOTED: The Supply Chain In Brief
From recent mergers and acquisitions to philanthropy initiatives, here’s what’s new and notable in the supply chain.
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Creating a Business-Friendly Environment
At the crux of Michigan’s central expressways, five Class A rail lines, and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, you’ll find the City of Romulus, which residents refer to as the “Home of Opportunity.” The city’s access to transportation and 3,146 acres of undeveloped land have positioned Romulus as a logistics hub for developers from Michigan and across the nation.
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Rail Transportation: What Shippers Need to Focus On
Q: How have the recent rail mergers changed the rail landscape for shippers? A: Shippers have been averse to rail mergers due to concerns of a reduction in competition, imposed routing limitations, and an increase in service disruptions. The two most recent mergers between the CSXT-Pan Am Railway and Canadian National-Kansas City Southern are still […]
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Intermodal Meets the Moment
In a supercharged supply chain, intermodal’s value grows more evident than ever. These standout companies are contributing to its bright future.
Read MoreThe Rail Networks of Tomorrow Will Ride on Satellite Connectivity
Railways are critical in supporting the global movement of goods in remote areas. However, today’s railway operators face many challenges, including optimizing network capacity, carrying out vital maintenance work, and improving health and safety. In their ambition to achieve greater control over their assets, transport leaders are now deploying more advanced technologies across their networks, […]
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Rail Price Controls? Ridicule the Thought
In 1980, CNN, fax machines, and camcorders made their debut, and for the first time since 1887, the rail industry was deregulated. Today CNN has many competitors, fax machines have been surpassed and their technology incorporated into other products, and camcorders are not only cheaper, almost all of us carry a better quality one in our pockets. Also, rail rates are 44% lower, and the market is flourishing.
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How to Leverage Rail/Intermodal…Now and Later
When used smartly today and tomorrow, rail/intermodal can give supply chains a lift.
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Automating Short-Haul Intermodal with Electrified Overhead Rail
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, container shipping was hit as hard as any industry. In the best of times, this vast, labor-intensive network is prone to worker and truck driver shortages, unbalanced hand-offs between distribution nodes, and traffic gridlock and movement lockdowns. In the worst of times, like the pandemic, they face additional delays caused by customs clearance inspections, ports and crew refusals to address certain vessels, and operational shutdowns for decontamination.
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Alaska: Rewarding the Resilient and Resourceful
Logistics providers in Alaska are on top of the world, literally and figuratively. They are a special breed prepared for every challenge the Last Frontier poses.
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Can the New Silk Road Compete with the Maritime Silk Road?
The more I hear and read about the New Silk Road, the more grand the expectations. Politically, the trade corridors between China and Europe, as well as Africa, seem to be China’s key to becoming a leading global power in the 21st century. Logistically, infrastructures and networks are emerging on an entirely new scale, taking a gigantic economic area—representing 60% of the world’s population and 35% of the global economy—to the next level. The New Silk Road could act as a high-speed internet for transporting goods.
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Why Freight Rail Needs Reform
A lack of competition, outdated regulations, and a handicapped federal agency allow poor delivery service, failure to provide notice of fee changes, and inadequate customer service, making it harder for shippers to depend on freight rail. Those shippers include a substantial percentage of National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) members, such as Univar Solutions, who […]
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19 Intermodal Tips for Success
Experts share advice on how to get fast-enough service while saving money with domestic intermodal transportation.
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Tracking Resins Avoids a Sticky Situation
Thermoplastic compounds company Aurora Plastics turns to automation for all the right resins.
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NS Makes Tracks to Atlanta
Norfolk Southern Corporation plans to move its headquarters from Virginia to Fulton County, Atlanta, joining other transportation heavyweights such as Delta Air Lines and UPS in leveraging Atlanta’s major transportation hub. NS is investing $575 million in the move, which it says will create 850 new jobs. In addition to its headquarters, the new campus […]
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Intermodal Transport: Finding the Road to the Right Track
Tight trucking capacity, the strong economy, and ongoing improvements on the rail are spurring more shippers to consider intermodal transportation. But finding a container, or a truck to haul it to or from the rail terminal, isn’t always easy, either.
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Industrial Development Returns to the Rails
The United States’ inadequate supply of Class A industrial space located close to international shipping facilities adds complexity and cost to distribution networks. With sky-high land acquisition and development costs, and limited land availability around the busiest ports, companies are forced to scatter operations in several smaller facilities or pay premium prices for adequate space. […]
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Reliable Rail Service Hinges on Reform
Freight rail is a vital link in the logistics professional’s arsenal, connecting businesses with downstream users and consumers. America’s railway system has a long and storied history, playing a pivotal role in the growth of our nation. Until recently, 26 railroads were in operation. Today, there are only seven rail providers, with just four controlling […]
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Intermodal Benefits Come Into Focus
Intermodal is looking sharp to a growing number of shippers, thanks to tightening truck capacity, new service options, and infrastructure improvements.
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