CSX
CSX announced July 1 that it is making major infrastructure upgrades at Avon Yard, one of its five hump yards, in a move the Class I says is “aimed at enhancing operational efficiency service for its customers.”
The improvements include extending the hump lead from 6,400 feet to 8,000 feet, along with other modifications designed to increase volume capacity and decrease dwell time, according to CSX.
“These changes will reduce out-of-route miles, as well as increase our traffic volumes by up to 15% and enable us to process up to 300 more cars daily,” said Avon Superintendent Jeff Exline.
Exline emphasized that while the infrastructure investments are significant, the success of the yard ultimately comes down to its workforce.
“What makes this place so great is the people that run it on a day-to-day basis,” Exline said. “We’ve seen an increase in productivity here year-over-year. That speaks volumes about what the team has been able to accomplish here.”
CSX expects the upgrades at Avon Yard to be completed by the end of the year.
BNSF/Watco
BNSF recently announced the addition of Watco’s TIBR to its “Shortline Select” program, which launched last fall and allows short line railroads to share the Class I’s “enduring commitment to growth and service by providing expanded opportunities for customers to reach an even broader consumer base.” The program also combines the benefit of short line customized service with BNSF’s vast network reach.
TIBR operates more than 50 miles of track between Kirbyville, Texas, and DeRidder, La., providing access to important markets in East Texas and Southwestern Louisiana. TIBR will soon begin a $50 million capital project to improve the capacity of the railroad and the reliability of service.
TIBR joins existing Shortline Select service partners including Genesee & Wyoming’s Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway (AGR), Burlington Junction Railway (BJRY), Genesee & Wyoming’s Portland & Western Railway (PNWR), TNW Corporation’s Texas Northwestern Railroad (TXNW) and Red River Valley & Western (RRVW).
UP
UP on July 1 celebrated its 163rd birthday in the hometown of its famed founder—President Abraham Lincoln—with the help of numerous dignitaries and its newest commemorative locomotive that honors Lincoln’s role in “laying the foundation for America’s best-in-the-world freight rail system.”
The event was sponsored by UP, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, Looking for Lincoln, and Hanson Professional Services. Special guests at the event included Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher, Illinois Railroad Association President Tim Butler, Lincoln Presidential Foundation President and CEO Erin Mast, National Park Service Superintendent Chris Collins, State Sen. Doris Turner, State Sen. Mike Coffey, Union Pacific Vice President – Public Affairs Liisa Stark and Union Pacific Senior Director – Public Affairs in Illinois Tom Evenson.
Lincoln founded UP with the signing of the historic Pacific Railway Act on July 1, 1862, which authorized construction of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad network.
“Union Pacific is incredibly proud of our heritage, and we are honored to share this special locomotive in the hometown of the man who brought our railroad to life and unleashed economic prosperity,” said UP Vice President of Public Affairs Liisa Stark. “We think Lincoln would have been proud of the vital role railroads serve today in delivering the goods and products essential for everyday life in America.”
The Lincoln Locomotive, which serves as a traveling ambassador for UP, made its debut on April 30 in North Little Rock, where it was painted by the Class I’s employees. It is painted in a color scheme unique to Lincoln’s era and serves as a nod to another famed locomotive —No. 119—which was one of two locomotives present at the Golden Spike Ceremony in Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869, which marked the completion of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad.
Springfield was also designated as an official Train Town USA community. The honor celebrates the towns and communities along UP’s tracks, many of which exist because of the railroad. Just as they were more than 100 years ago, these communities remain vital to the railroad’s success, the Class I noted.
“It is an incredible honor for Springfield to host Union Pacific Railroad on this historic milestone and to welcome the Lincoln Locomotive to the hometown of our 16th president. Abraham Lincoln’s vision helped unite a nation, and that legacy lives on through the railroads that continue to connect communities and drive economic progress. Being named a Train Town USA is a proud recognition of Springfield’s enduring role in our nation’s rail history,” said Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher.
