BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) in the US have announced a new joint service to offer intermodal transportation connecting the Chicago and Dallas / Fort Worth markets.
The new service is set to operate between Toluca and Monterrey, Mexico, and Dallas / Fort Worth and Chicago, US.
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BNSF consumer products group vice-president Katie Farmer said: “We are excited to be partnering with KCS to offer our customers a new, efficient and reliable way to access some of Mexico’s largest metropolitan markets.
“These new services leverage our strong intermodal product and KCS’s expertise south of the border to enhance customers’ supply chain efficiency into and out of Mexico.”
Trains moving in both directions will carry 53ft intermodal containers, and interchange at Robstown, Texas.
Using this service, customers can connect to other regions along BNSF’s 32,500-mile network from Dallas / Fort Worth or Chicago.
KCS intermodal vice-president Erik Hansen said: “The Kansas City Southern Railway Company in the US and Kansas City Southern de México are proud to partner with BNSF to expand the portfolio of services we offer in our cross-border product, enabling our shippers to compete more effectively in the market and provide enhanced supply chain logistics to the customer.”
The service features a multi-layered safety and security process, which will monitor shipments throughout the route using rail inspection portals.
Intermodal rail shipments are not required to stop at the border for customs clearance, BNSF said.
Image: Northbound, the new service will operate from Toluca, San Luis Potosí or Monterrey, Mexico, to Dallas / Fort Worth or Chicago. Photo: courtesy of BNSF Railway.
