BNSF Railway and Ferromex now provide intermodal service between Chicago and Silao, Mexico

According to BNSF's press release, this began on 27 May and it must be one of the longest continuous intermodal routes in North America where truck trailers can be put onto a "rolling highway".

Extracts from the press release:-

BNSF Railway and Ferromex have partnered to launch a new intermodal service between Chicago and Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico.

"Our partnership with Ferromex to launch this service from Chicago to Silao means that automakers and manufacturers in the U.S. and Mexico will now have direct access to the advantages of intermodal rail in the Bajio region," said Steve Bobb, BNSF executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "This service offers Mexico’s fast growing manufacturing sector in the Bajio region a simple way to reduce trucking costs and delays."

Trains carrying intermodal containers will interchange at El Paso, Texas to and from FXE, Mexico’s largest railroad, which will operate the trains between the border crossing and Silao five days a week. Intermodal shipping is the transport of shipping containers using multiple modes of transportation – in this case, truck and rail. This new intermodal service will provide customers with opportunities for growth in the expanding Mexico market.

"Mexico is the United States’ third largest trading partner with a yearly trade of just over $500 billion. This translates into 14,000 trucks crossing between our borders on a daily basis," said Fernando Lopez, FXE’s Chief Marketing Officer. "We created this intermodal train to serve such a market, delivering not only a consistent and reliable alternative, but a solid competitive advantage for North America as a region."

The new service offers advantages en route such as:
* Lower cost than over-the-road trucking and faster transit times in comparison to a single truck driver.
* A centrally located intermodal hub within 100 highway miles of the Bajio’s major manufacturing centers of Leon, Irapuato, Celaya, Salamanca,Queretaro and Aguascalientes.
* Avoids highway congestion in the U.S. and Mexico.
* Dedicated customer support team to track shipments from the in-gate in Mexico to out-gate in the U.S. 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

The service is better at the border when compared to trucking because there is no cross-border trucking across congested highway bridges. Southbound shipments are moved in-bond (which means shipment documentation is handled at the final destination) to minimize Mexico Customs clearance delays. Once the shipments arrive in Silao customers can clear their cargo with the customs broker of their choice through Mexico Customs. Northbound shipments are pre-cleared by a customs broker of the customer’s choice with U.S. Customs.

For more information on this new service offering customers can contact their intermodal sales representative or visit www.bnsf.com/mexico.