Railroads + the Supply Chain Explained
Subject: Railroads + the Supply Chain Explained
Railroads and the Supply Chain
For weeks now, the challenges facing the U.S. and global supply chains have pervaded headlines. This logjam—looming over the holiday shopping season—culminated in an announcement last week from the White House that it had convened supply chain stakeholders and facilitated steps to ease congestion.
Here’s a breakdown of the situation from a rail perspective, including what railroads are doing to maximize throughput and address the challenges they confront as the “middle miles” of the U.S. supply chain.
Ford’s New Carbon Neutral Megasites to be Rail-Served
This summer the expansion of the Howard Tunnel in Baltimore took another important step forward when it received its final environmental approval, paving the way for construction to begin later this year.
Tunnel Expansion to Help Port of Baltimore Double Capacity
Ford’s announcement that it will create two new campuses in TN and KY demonstrates how freight rail access is a key factor for manufacturers as they pursue sustainable and innovative expansion.
Visualize: How Trains Help Make a Car
Automakers use hundreds of thousands of individual parts to build a vehicle. Railroads not only haul the raw materials to make these parts, they also move nearly 75% of America’s finished cars and light trucks.
GoRail Event Reminder:
Railroads, Infrastructure Policy, and the View from D.C.
Honorable Bill Shuster, Former Chairman, U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee; Senior Policy Advisor at Squire Patton Boggs
Adrian Arnakis, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Association of American Railroads
Chuck Baker, President, American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association
Infrastructure is finally having its moment on Capitol Hill. The U.S. Senate passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill in August and the House plans to vote on the legislation by October 31. Congressman Shuster, Adrian Arnakis and Chuck Baker will join GoRail to discuss how the legislation will impact U.S. freight railroads and the communities and customers they serve, including new funding opportunities related to rail projects and infrastructure as well as highway-rail crossings.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET
Parting Words…
“As the U.S. struggles with truck driver shortages and companies scratch their heads over how to meet their goals for slashing carbon emissions, trains—which are four to five times as efficient in energy used per mile as trucks—could be a two century-old technology whose time has come again.”
— Wall Street Journal technology columnist Christopher Mims in an October 9 piece,”How to Move More Goods Through America’s Clogged Infrastructure? Robot Trains.”
