CSX
CSX has earned Hyundai GLOVIS’s “Club Elite” designation for finished vehicle transport service in 2023, which the railroad said is determined by “a rigorous assessment based on several metrics: transit time—which accounts for 40% of the score—alongside damage-free shipment handling, customer service, and claims payment performance, each worth 20%.” According to CSX, it is the only railroad to receive the “distinction of top-performing finished vehicle transport provider in North America” from the logistics service provider for Hyundai Motor America and Kia America.
CSX has served Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama since 2005 and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia since 2010. In 2022, the automotive group chose the Montgomery, Ala., manufacturing center for its expansion into the electric vehicle market, with a $300 million investment, CSX reported.
“Just as Hyundai is known for their outstanding performance and value, CSX’s goal is to consistently exceed our customers’ and partners’ expectations for safe, reliable, and cost-effective rail transportation,” said Tom Fitzgerald, CSX Senior Director of Automotive Sales. “This honor reflects our team’s tireless efforts to deliver the excellent service our partners in the automotive industry require.”
In a related development, CSX’s Total Distribution Services Inc. earlier this year received Destination Automotive Quality Excellence Awards from the Association of American Railroads. Two BNSF automotive facilities also earned AAR quality excellence awards.
BNSF
BNSF’s 11-member signal team in Wichita Falls, Tex., “has gone an incredible 25 years without a single injury,” the railroad reported July 19 via social media. This group “embodies safety and teamwork” and leader Derrie Kreiling “has fostered a culture of care and open communication,” according to the Class I.
CPKC
CPKC recently celebrated the grand opening of its new Winnipeg General Yard Office. “The opening ceremony was attended by notable guests including Manitoba Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor, alongside members of the legislature and local city councilors,” the Class I reported July 17 via social media. “Our new 6,500 square-foot facility is state-of-the-art and designed to meet the ever-evolving demands of our Winnipeg rail operations.”
In other CPKC news, the Final Spike Anniversary Steam Tour special, led by The Empress, H-1b Hudson-type 4-6-4 2816, built by Montreal Locomotive Works in December 1930, returned Canada earlier this month. The tour was an historic three-nation round-trip journey that began in Calgary on April 24, 2024, to mark the one-year anniversary of CPKC’s official merger. The train delighted thousands who gathered trackside to see it go by and participate in special events along the way. It arrived in Winnipeg for its final event on July 6, and finished the journey in Calgary, Alberta, on July 10.
