Railex LLC was a refrigerated rail service and third-party logistics provider that transported fruits, vegetables and other temperature sensitive cargo across the United States, in partnership with the Union Pacific Railroad and CSX. In 2006, Railex launched service between Wallula, Washington, and Rotterdam, New York, followed in 2008 by a Delano, California to NY lane. Railex ran unit trains of 55 large, "plate F" refrigerated cars and promised regularly scheduled departures and arrivals on a five-day service schedule. It claimed reduced carbon emissions when compared to conventional trucking. In June 2014, Railex opened a new facility in Jacksonville, Florida, with service from the west coast.[1] In 2017, Union Pacific acquired Railex's cold storage facilities and terminals at Delano, California, Wallula, Washington, and Rotterdam, New York (but not its wine unit, Railex Wine Services LLC, now known as Northwest Wine Services).[2] In May 2020, Union Pacific discontinued both services.[3] Railex's system was based on palletized cargo, which was loaded and unloaded indoors in temperature controlled docks that preserved a cold chain for the cargo. It also provided warehousing and could handle less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments.
Competition
editTwo additional refrigerated train services were announced in 2013, the Green Express, from Tampa, Florida to Kingsbury, Indiana, operated by CSX and the Tampa Port Authority,[4] and the TransCold Express operated by McKay Transcold, LLC and BNSF, connecting the California Central Valley with the midwest.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Railex Opens Jacksonville, Florida Services in June 2014". Railex. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
- ^ "Union Pacific acquires Railex LLC Assets". Railway Age. 2017-01-04. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
- ^ Vantuono, William C. (May 20, 2020). "UP Shuts Down Cold Connect". Railway Age. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
- ^ Holan, Mark (August 20, 2013). "CSX's 'Green Express' to link Tampa port and Midwest". Tampa Bay Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ "BNSF to serve new TransCold Express refrigerated service offered by McKay". BNSF. 2013-09-04. Archived from the original on 2014-07-10.
- "A Fresh Approach". Trains Magazine. February 2010. Archived from the original on 2008-10-17.
- "Massive Trains". Treehugger (A Discovery Company). November 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-12-29. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
- "Washington state Government presentation" (PDF). c. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-10-05.