Union Pacific Railroad (www.up.com ) and Norfolk Southern Railway Co. (www.nscorp.com) are adding expedited northbound intermodal service from Mexico and Laredo, Tex.
The two railroads began similar southbound services last summer, which have enjoyed success.
UP shipments from Mexico -- with emphasis on Mexico City -- and Laredo will move to the railway's Marion, Ark., intermodal facility. NS delivery points are Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Miami, Harrisburg, Pa., and E-Rail, N.J. (near Elizabeth).
Three services are being offered:
Trans-border, all-rail, seamless. It bypasses customs at the border by clearing within the Mexican interior. The handoff is to Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) at Laredo.
Passport is combination truck-rail. Mexican shipments move by truck to Laredo and are forwarded to U.S. destinations.
Conventional service allows arrangements for local pick-up in Mexico for movement to UP's Laredo facility.
Northbound traffic is expected to be mixed freight.
