THE Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway in an effort to sell its proposal to merge with the Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway, has said that its idea of coast-to-coast railway idea would fix congestion in the key Chicago hub.
Not only that, said its release, it would also enhance fluidity and create new opportunities for competitors to provide improved service to their own customers, many of whom receive no service during holiday periods.
"CP recognises that the North American economy does not take vacations and many shippers require 24/7 service 365 days a year through Chicago," said CP.
"Thanks to CP's dedicated and hardworking railroaders, CP can provide that service. But Chicago is where six of North America's largest railways converge, making it the busiest and most important freight hub on the continent.
"Local communities and businesses from Illinois to British Columbia to the Gulf of Mexico depend on the efficiency of Chicago's rail system and any lengthy disruption will impact jobs," said the company statement.
CP also noted that the most vocal opponents to a CP-NS merger that would improve shipper optionality through and around Chicago will halt service for up to two full days during the Christmas period.
"Union Pacific will halt service through Chicago from 7am December 24 to 7am December 26. CSX Corp will shut down from 3pm December 24 until 7am December 26 and Norfolk Southern will close from 2pm December 24 to 11pm December 25," said CP.
"We have a responsibility to our customers not to forget that gridlock in Chicago crippled the industry in the winter of 2014 and threatened to cripple the economy," said CP president and chief operating officer Keith Creel.
"We need to work together as an industry to keep Chicago fluid and the economy growing, and innovation is the key," he said.
Beginning mid-December, the winter of 2013-2014 saw the third heaviest snowfall on record in Chicago, which coincided with the third coldest temperatures in the city's history.
The combination of snow and cold wreaked havoc on Chicago's already congested rail facilities, forcing some railways to suspend interchange operations for as long as two days well into January, backing up freight for months.
A full shut down of service through Chicago by a number of railways would prevent an agile response to sudden shifts in weather conditions and customer demand, and would compound the impact of the severe winter weather that Chicago is known for.
"Our economy runs year round and shippers must be able to get their goods to market in a timely fashion, regardless of the date or the amount of snow on the ground," Mr Creel said.
"Optionality, agility, efficiency and service are at the heart of our proposal and we urge all stakeholders to examine the benefits of a CP-NS combination," he said.
LOGISTICS
22 December 2015 - 22:54
Canadian Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger would fix Chicago bottleneck: CP
THE Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway in an effort to sell its proposal to merge with the Norfolk Southern (NS) Railway, has said that its idea of coast-to-coast railway idea would fix congestion in the key Chicago hub.
LOGISTICS
22 December 2015 - 22:54
Canadian Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger would fix Chicago bottleneck: CP
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