1. Railroads are nothing new in the US. They were one of the first ways of moving cargo from place to place. The United States has one of the largest freight networks in the entire world.
2. If you’re looking to boost your company’s revenue, save money and improve the efficiency of what you do, it’s time to consider a rail-served warehouse in your future.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RAIL SIDING
1. There are different ways of shipping materials nationwide. Rail-siding is the best alternative to truck shipping. Shipping by rail is the most effective way to see your freight gets where it needs to go.
2. There are ways to get goods transported throughout the country and not everything can go over the roads. And there are enough trucks out there already.
3. There are definite shipping benefits that consumers and businesses can immediately take advantage of that other shipping alternatives just don’t offer. The importance of rail siding in the world of shipping cannot be underestimated.
BENEFITS OF RAIL-SERVED WAREHOUSING
1. It costs less money. Every business loves hearing those words. Rail shipping is the least expensive way to ship. There are railroad fees to be paid and that’s it. No paying drivers, no maintaining a fleet of vehicles, no high fuel costs on a daily basis, no money spent on costly repairs. It really makes all the sense in the world to utilize a rail-served warehouse. Volatile fuel costs, increased regulations, and driver shortages contribute to making rail a cost-efficient alternative to entirely over-the-road transportation options.
2. Products are shipped safely and reliably. This is vitally important to your business. Your name is on the line. If things go wrong, consumers may turn elsewhere. Rail systems offer security and safety. Products travel from one point to another without being stored or moved again. Chances of products being lost or damaged are greatly reduced.
3. Products get where they need to be on time. Truck shipping is at the mercy of the roads – detours for construction, endless traffic jams with nowhere to go, and bad weather can all stop your freight in its ‘tracks.’ Not so when you ship by rail. Deliveries and shipments are not held up by these factors and you know when they are getting to their intended destination.
4. Rail cars hold more freight. A typical rail car is anywhere from three to five times bigger than a truck. This means you can easily transport heavier or larger products than can be accomplished with trucks. Loading and unloading heavy products are done with ease right there at the rail-served warehouse.
5. Rail can reduce your environmental impact. Moving freight by rail instead of with trucks reduces greenhouse gas emissions an average of 75 percent, according to AAR. One double-stacked intermodal train can carry the equivalent of several hundred truckloads to any of the country’s major markets. In 2016 alone, BNSF customers saved 34 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere — the equivalent of removing seven million cars from the nation’s roads.
6. Railroads deliver significant facility development resources. With departments variously labeled as “Economic Development,” “Business Development”, “Industrial Development,” or “Real Estate,” major railroads offer customers deep resources in facility development.
KEY FACILITIES
1. Certified Sites — Certified sites are pre-selected areas of land considered prime for development following extensive vetting to confirm they meet critical criteria, including availability of utilities, public services, highway access, proper zoning for industrial usage, and transparency of current land ownership. On average, by utilizing a certified site, customers can save up to nine months of development time.
2. Logistics Centers — Some railways also offer carload customers co-location opportunities at strategically located logistics centers. At these facilities, the railway typically owns the land and builds the shared track, mainline turnouts, and other required infrastructure. Logistics centers can accommodate multiple industries and support rail, truck, and transload services.
3. Transload — If building or expanding your facility at a rail-served site is not feasible, you can still access rail networks. In conjunction with motor carrier and logistics partners, railroads offer transloading services, where your freight is trucked to a transload facility, loaded onto the rail network, transported by rail, and then trucked to its destination. Transloading allows customers to obtain the cost convenience of using individual railcar service without having to have a rail-served facility.
4. Logistics Parks — For shippers of consumer goods in containers or trailers, many railroads offer attractive co-location opportunities. Transportation costs typically account for more than 50 percent of total distribution costs. Locating your distribution center or warehouse at a logistics park can substantially lower those costs, reducing drayage charges, maximizing truck turns, adding fuel savings, and lowering emissions. A competitive cost per square foot further boosts the bottom line.
Source:
https://www.areadevelopment.com/logisticsInfrastructure/Q1-2018/get-on-track-with-rail-served-site.shtml
https://www.qualitywarehouse.com/save-money-with-a-rail-served-warehouse/
