KCS adds NOLA port-Dallas intermodal shuttle
Written by Railway Age Staff
Napoleon Avenue terminal at the Port of New Orleans. Photo: Gnovick via Wikipedia
The Port of New Orleans is starting to ramp up intermodal rail service, beginning with a new Texas connection.
Kansas City Southern Railway in mid-May will begin weekly container train service between the Dallas area and the Port of New Orleans.
The new service is scheduled to begin May 21, the port’s chief executive, Brandy Christian, told a shipping conference.
The service will operate between the KCS terminal in Wylie, Texas, and the on-dock terminal at the port. The railroad will provide added empty containers for resin exports.
After the port acquired short line New Orleans Public Belt Railway from the city in February, port Director of Marine-Rail Integration Chris Bonura in March told the Railway Age Rail Freight Business Development Conference that expanded intermodal service is a top priority.
Intermodal traffic now accounts for only about 10% of the port’s containerized cargo, including 406,400 TEUs of marine cargo in 2017. The port handled a total of 580,000 TEUs in that time.
