QUINCY, Wash., Aug. 25, 2010 — A new refrigerated intermodal container rail and distribution service between Quincy, WA and Chicago, IL is quickly growing in popularity with produce shippers in the Pacific Northwest.
This new expedited, door-to-door Pacific Northwest-Chicagoland Express "Cold Train" Intermodal Service ) was recently launched in April (http://refrigeratedtrans.com/carriers-shippers/cold_train_intermodal_service_begins_0408/) by Rail Logistics in partnership with the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal (http://www.portofquincyintermodal.com) and covers 2,000+ miles in only three days.
According to Steve Lawson, Vice President of Intermodal for Rail Logistics, weekly bookings of produce (apples, potatoes, etc.) on the Cold Train have increased by over 40% since the service began and continue to rise weekly. In June, the Cold Train also began successfully shipping cherries ) from Quincy to the Midwest and "is ideal for shipping Washington State perishable products to Chicago quickly and efficiently," said Lawson. "We are committed to providing a vital link between the growers and producers of Washington State and major retailers operating throughout the Midwest … In fact, we have added capacity heading into the fall harvest season and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future," Lawson added.
Produce shippers in Washington State are embracing the new Cold Train service.
Explained Bart Connors of Basin Gold in Pasco, Washington, "One of our biggest challenges is finding competitive and consistent transportation services shipping products east. This new intermodal service to the Midwest offers a cost-competitive and sustainable alternative."
"With fuel prices continuing to rise, this new rail intermodal service option from Central Washington to Chicago has given our company an efficient and reliable new alternative to transport our products to the Midwest," stated Scott Marboe, Director of Marketing of Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers in Wenatchee, Washington.
In addition, receivers in the Midwest are giving the expedited refrigerated intermodal service positive reviews.
"Like many companies, we have been looking for transportation options that are economical and more environmentally sustainable. The 'Cold Train' has provided us a great new option, with a carbon footprint that's 50% less than an over-the-road truck," explained Carl Swartz, Perishables Transportation, The Kroger Co.
"The PNW-Chicagoland Express Intermodal 'Cold Train' Service has proven to be a cost-effective and speedy new shipping option for our company to ship produce from Washington State to Illinois, Indiana and surrounding markets," said Dave Frizzell, President, Blue Ribbon Transport (a subsidiary of Indianapolis-based Caito Foods).
Leading government officials in Washington State have also taken notice of this new expedited refrigerated intermodal rail service. In April, Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Dan Newhouse visited the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal (http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/local_business/article_7ef6df80-4982-576e-a19f-1b28dd38ce7c.html) and said the new service will have a huge impact on Washington State and will open markets in the Midwest. In June, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire toured the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsJFV21N6cs; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJhNn_ugxfE) and was very impressed about the new Cold Train intermodal service. In August, Congressman Richard "Doc" Hastings visited the Intermodal Terminal and met with Cold Train representatives and Port of Quincy Commissioners to learn more about the new service (http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_12ad38fe-af0a-11df-8729-001cc4c002e0.html and http://picasaweb.google.com/104993634629301007784/081810CongressmanDocHastingsVisitToThePortOfQuincyIntermodalTerminalAndTheColdTrain#).
For more information about the "Cold Train," please contact Steve Lawson of Rail Logistics at 913-491-0050 or Email.
About Rail Logistics
Rail Logistics, LC ) is an asset-based third-party logistics firm specializing in offering turn-key rail services to industries throughout North America for both bulk and intermodal shipments. Rail Logistics provides transportation planning and optimization, supply chain logistics consulting and management, rail fleet management, railcar leasing, maintenance management, and specialized customer service. Rail Logistics, LC has corporate offices in Overland Park, Kansas and regional operations offices in Chicago and Central Washington.
About the Port of Quincy Intermodal Terminal
The Port of Quincy (http://www.portofquincy.org) Intermodal Terminal is a state-of-the-art rail cargo handling facility located on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad mainline which runs from Seattle to Chicago. The Intermodal Terminal includes over 10,000 feet of track and a new container maintenance and cleaning facility, with nearly 1 million square feet of cold storage warehousing operated by Columbia Colstor ) in close proximity to provide shippers with distribution, cross-dock and storage capacity in and out of Washington State.
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