Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 27, 1993 TAG: 9310270047
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It will be the fourth new intermodal service begun recently by the two. Intermodal freight is cargo that travels both by rail and over the highway by tractor-trailer.
The new train between Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, will make available for the first time third-morning deliveries of freight between the Southeast and New England and upstate New York, the railroads said.
The agreement, under which Conrail crews will operate NS trains over Conrail tracks, will relieve congestion on NS tracks, NS spokesman Bob Fort said.
Conrail will make use of excess capacity on its tracks and by using NS's intermodal terminal in Cincinnati will gain direct access to the market.
While growth in intermodal traffic nationwide has caused capacity shortages for some railroads, NS was not experiencing major problems, Fort said. The agreement with Conrail will allow NS to continue expanding its business, he said.
Fort said the company's intermodal business is considerable and on the increase.
For the past five weeks intermodal traffic nationwide has been at record levels. That is a good sign, considering the economy, Fort said.
NS and Conrail already jointly operate the "Atlanta Flyer" intermodal train between New York and Atlanta. Triple Crown, an intermodal partnership between Conrail and NS, began operating this spring between the Northeast and Chicago and the Northeast and Atlanta over Conrail and NS track.
by CNB