NS
“After making strategic operational adjustments at local interchanges and yards across the network, Norfolk Southern’s cycle times began to improve year-over-year starting in July 2024,” NS reported Nov. 6 in the Story Yard section of its website.
Due to these cycle-time improvements, the railroad has been able to capture additional volume and handle spot opportunities created by market conditions. NS said it loaded 16,762 more grain carloads from July through October 2024 than in the prior-year period. It also loaded 18,639 carloads of corn, beans, and wheat during the same timeframe, “the most since November of 2016,” according to the railroad. It attributed these achievements to the joint efforts of the Bulk team in the Network Operations Center (NOC), Field Operations, Marketing, and Customer Logistics.
“Operations and Marketing are working lockstep to capitalize on spot train opportunities that can serve our customers while making Norfolk Southern successful,” NS Director of Unit Train Operations Jon Wills said. “We’re working closely across boundaries so we can make decisions more rapidly and continue to capitalize on opportunities to move vital commodities that Americans depend on.”
For example, NS said that when West Texas faced drought conditions, it responded quickly to mitigate grain supply impacts across the U.S.
“We recognized early that the West Texas drought could impact the grain supply chain,” NS Group Manager Mark Adams said. “There was also higher demand for rail equipment due to backlogs and embargoes. By mobilizing idle unit grain trains to assist, we were able to keep essential supplies moving toward the Texas Panhandle region, underscoring Norfolk Southern’s commitment to maintaining a resilient supply chain, even in tough conditions.”
NS reported that its teams utilized NS-owned equipment and partnered with Western rail carriers to send more than 50 unit trains into the region, allowing it to deliver “adequate grain supply” to markets affected by the drought. Through these collaborative efforts, NS said it not only met grain demands in the West but also facilitated the movement of grain to the Gulf of Mexico for export; additionally, as the grain harvest season began, it “was well-prepared to lock in on our targets for October.”
Separately, NS experienced a “textbook rebound” from Hurricane Helene.
UP
RoyOMartin on Oct. 30 celebrated the expansion of its OSB (oriented strand board) plant in Corrigan, Tex., marking “another chapter in its strategic partnership with UP,” the railroad reported Nov. 7 in the Inside Track section of its website.
UP serves three facilities for RoyOMartin, a manufacturer of OSB, plywood, and solid wood products with locations in Oakdale and Chopin, La., and Corrigan. The OSB plant expansion in Texas includes a new warehouse and spur track.
“Union Pacific works with us on many fronts, helping us reach key markets and providing reliable service and great communication,” RoyOMartin Director-Supply Chain John Smith said. “When demand took off and we had to decide whether to build a new facility or expand our footprint in Corrigan, it was an easy decision.”
“This expansion represents growth for both companies as we take advantage of several great synergies,” said Kenny Rocker, Executive Vice President-Marketing and Sales at UP. “We provide optionality and access to many of RoyOMartin’s key markets, and we’re proud of all the work we’ve done with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to make our teams more integrated.”
Meanwhile, UP on Nov. 5 reported via LinkedIn that the “coveted” 2024 Safety Bell, the Operating department’s highest annual Transportation team safety honor is “up for grabs.” It is awarded to the service unit with the “best overall safety record.” As of Sept. 30, the three service units topping the third-quarter leaderboard are:
- No. 1: Pacific Northwest
- No. 2: Northern California
- No. 3: Rocky Mountain
Earlier this year, UP announced that its Heartland Service Unit won the 2023 Safety Bell. Its previous Safety Bell winner, the Commuter Operations Service Unit, held the title for seven consecutive years (2016-2022).
CPKC
“CPKC is honoured to receive the Project of the Year award from the Laredo Economic Development Corporation for our international railway bridge expansion project, which is now nearing completion,” the Class I railroad reported Nov. 5 via LinkedIn. “On behalf of the entire project team, Executive Advisor Warren Erdman and Director of U.S. Government Affairs Kyle Morgan accepted the award at last week’s ceremony” (see photograph above).
The expansion project is adding a second span to the international railroad bridge linking Laredo, Tex., and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico (see map below), according to CPKC.
CN
“We’re excited to announce that our Domestic Intermodal Commercial team has been recognized as Walmart Canada’s Strategic Partner of the Year for imports at their annual carrier awards!” CN reported on Nov. 7 via LinkedIn. “This honour reflects our commitment to excellence and the strength of our partnership with Walmart. A huge thank you to our dedicated service and operations teams—your hard work has truly made a difference, enabling CN to deliver greater value to Walmart and its customers. Together, we’ve optimized supply chains and strengthened service delivery—all in support of driving economic growth and new opportunities alongside Walmart.”
Separately, on Oct. 24, two months after the Canadian Industrial Relations Board’s (CIRB) order imposing binding arbitration between CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, CN reported that both parties have agreed on an arbitrator to determine the terms of the next collective agreement. A decision is expected before the end of second-quarter 2025.
