Intermodal 101

[Shorthaul]

Wow, great thread guys! Thanks for all of your insight, I'm definitely going to pick up that book!

I just ordered it from amazon.com about a week ago. I am almost done with it. If you can't find a good deal on the book (which I think you can, if you get it used), than I would be happy to send it to you when I am done.

[DLM]

Loaded two 53's of import lumber in Miami this week to Southern California. Another will go on Friday to Tijuana, MX. These will ride CSX to New Orleans via Atlanta and interchange to the UP for California. Also loaded a 53' in Michigan today that will go Chicago/NS/Jacksonville/FEC/Miami. It's been a couple months since I have loaded containers over Miami with Florida sugar to Chicago. Miami is a busy place.

[Shorthaul]

Loaded two 53's of import lumber in Miami this week to Southern California. Another will go on Friday to Tijuana, MX. These will ride CSX to New Orleans via Atlanta and interchange to the UP for California. Also loaded a 53' in Michigan today that will go Chicago/NS/Jacksonville/FEC/Miami. It's been a couple months since I have loaded containers over Miami with Florida sugar to Chicago. Miami is a busy place.

Awesome. What kind of job is it that you have, sending containers all over the place? Sounds interesting.

[DLM]

I co-own a company in Grand Rapids, MI that sells intermodal freight throughout North America. We rep intermodal for BNSF, UP, CSX, NS, CN, CP, KCS, FEC, IAIS, Schneider, Hunt, Swift, Hub, along with many steamship lines.

[danted23]

Hey thanks bnsfMAN! I got click happy and went out and bought it off of amazon the other night.

[hoborich]

Hey, I found out what's in all those containers. Big sales on at Penneys, Sears, and Kohls. Mens polo shirts. Thousands of them, for $8.99. All made in Cambodia, Pakistan, Bangledesh.

[Shorthaul]

Not totally related, but I guess this is now kind of a general intermodal discussion anyway.
Is there any new news on that Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal that was discussed several months back? I couldn't find anything, but I may have missed something

[Shorthaul]

I co-own a company in Grand Rapids, MI that sells intermodal freight throughout North America. We rep intermodal for BNSF, UP, CSX, NS, CN, CP, KCS, FEC, IAIS, Schneider, Hunt, Swift, Hub, along with many steamship lines.

That is pretty awesome. Unfortunately, you have now opened yourself up for all kinds of questions, if that is ok.
I just have 1 right now: From what I have seen, Schneider runs an intermodal system quite different than any other. Can you explain this a little better? I don't understand exactly how it is different.

[DLM]

Schneider's intermodal containers go on which ever routings NS and BNSF offer. Schneider sells directly to customers. However, if they have a surplus of containers some place, they offer them up to people like me. It's cheaper for Schneider than moving them empty to where they are needed.

All inbound UP containers to Las Vegas are moved empty to LA to feed the LA markets need. Many Dallas empties are moved to LA also for reloading. Many New Jersey empties are moved back to Chicago. One year I paid the UP to move 70 empties 10 at a time to Chicago during the fall shortage to cover my needs in the midwest. NS offers a reposition rate on 53's EMHU's from Jacksonville to Chicago if you are in need of empties during the busy months.

[Shorthaul]

Ok, so maybe Schneider is not that different. Are they the only carrier to have their own terminal or something? I thought that there was something different, but I may be wrong.

[DLM]

Schneider owns the containers and uses railroad owned facilities to get them on and off of trains.

[CSX_CO]

Ok, so maybe Schneider is not that different. Are they the only carrier to have their own terminal or something? I thought that there was something different, but I may be wrong.

Schneider is the exclusive shipper into MED at Marion, OH. I believe that MED (read contract outfit) runs the ramp and Schneider is only a tennant.

Practice Safe CSX

[MSchwiebert]

I may have posted this before, but powerpoint reached by this link does an excellent job of describing how Marion and North Baltimore work/will work.
freight.transportation.org/doc/rail/Milwaukee/Jannazo.ppt

[Y@]

This thread is quite an interesting read... helps me better understand the whole business of intermodal. Keep bringing the wealth of knowledge guys, lord knows the site needs all it can get.