INDR and CN open Senate Avenue Intermodal Terminal
Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
Indiana Rail Road Company
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD) President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Hoback opened Indianapolis' new intermodal freight terminal October 10 by driving a 200-ton INRD locomotive through a ribbon.
The non-traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the grand opening of INRD’s Senate Avenue Intermodal Terminal, a multi-million dollar investment by INRD and Canadian National (CN) built to serve Indiana shippers moving goods to and from Asia.
Indianapolis-based INRD and CN announced a partnership in January to inaugurate all-rail service for trans-Pacific containerized freight from the Canadian ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, BC, to Indianapolis, bypassing the congested Chicago terminal area.
“While this is a very exciting day for CN and the Indiana Rail Road, it’s a landmark moment for the Indiana business community and not just importers and exporters,” said Hoback. “Having an intermodal facility near the heart of Indianapolis is an excellent economic development tool for the city and state, which translates to job growth.
“INRD and CN do business with an entrepreneurial, customer-first spirit top of mind. To the Indiana logistics community, which has supported us throughout the development of this new product, we say ‘thank you,’ and pledge fast, reliable service moving forward.”
The Port of Prince Rupert and Port of Vancouver offer service from major Asian ports across the Pacific Rim, from Vietnam, Japan, South Korea and China; service from Shanghai to Prince Rupert and Vancouver is shorter than other west coast options, based on first-port-of-call service.
CN and INRD have marketed to Indiana importers a total transit time goal of as little as 20 days from Asia to Indianapolis, once portside volume-based efficiencies reach critical mass.
On the morning of October 10, INRD delivered a trainload of containerized imports to the Indianapolis terminal with a total transit time of just 20 days from Shanghai, without portside efficiencies yet in play.
Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, said, “CN is pleased to be part of this supply chain story with INRD. CN’s objective is to be a true supply chain enabler through its agenda of operational and dervice excellence. This helps our customers compete more effectively in their own markets in North America or abroad.”
