Americans looking to stock up on food during COVID-19 quarantines quickly turned to non-perishable fruits and vegetables. Del Monte Foods, a lead provider in shelf-stable and ready-to-eat foods, turned to a freight railroad company to make sure grocery store shelves remained stocked with its products.

BNSF Railway, one of the nation’s largest railroads, snapped into action to meet the need of the moment. They worked with Del Monte to ship their non-perishable goods in expedited intermodal shipments, allowing Americans across the country to get the food they needed to ride out shelter-in-place orders.

The freight rail industry has a rich history of serving America during its greatest crises. Thanks to years of preparation and billions of dollars in private investment, railroads swiftly and nimbly adapted to ensure service continuity and employee safety in the face of the pandemic.

Unprecedented supply chain challenges have been met because railroads spent years fine-tuning operations models, improving infrastructure and deploying technology. Thanks to these efforts, railroads and their employees have been able to safely and efficiently deliver food and essential goods — such as disinfectants and chemicals used to make medicine and protective equipment — to fight the novel coronavirus, while also preparing to support the economic recovery. Freight railroads were built for this moment, with a focus on service, a commitment to safety and genuine American grit driving our response. Today and in the days ahead, our industry is poised to help America rebuild and rebound.

A record of resilience

The American railroad industry is resilient and perseveres. For nearly 200 years, railroads have been an essential American industry, dependably shipping the supplies the nation needs to prosper. During World War II, railroads carried more than 90% of the military’s freight and 98% of its personnel. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Norfolk Southern cleared tracks and delivered much-needed supplies within 36 hours of the storm hitting New Orleans, well ahead of other modes of shipping. Our industry is accustomed to overcoming obstacles, including the present-day challenge of moving freight while practicing social distancing.

With each crisis, railroads adapt and learn, always improving the network and making strategic operational adjustments. Today, railroads are employing response plans that were developed years ago and tested during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Railroads drew on these plans to modify operations and bolster sanitation protocols in the early days of the COVID-19 surge. Freight rail employees who can work from home are doing so, while those who need to do essential on-site tasks are working in new, safer ways. To meet social distancing guidelines, railroads have staggered shifts, opened additional operations centers and deployed technology in innovative ways. We’re regularly surveying customers and workers to learn more and adapt in real time to keep people safe and shipments moving. Vital industries like ours know that complacency is not an option when so much is at stake.

Ready for the moment

At a time when federal resources are stretched thin, freight railroads take pride in our ability to weather this storm without taxpayer assistance. In the past five years, we have invested an average of $25 billion annually in infrastructure improvements, new equipment and advanced technology. Through prudent management, we have modernized operations, enabling railroads to respond to changes in traffic. With freight shipments anticipated to rise nearly one-third in the next 20 years, this transformation means we’re ready to meet the needs of an evolving global economy and changing consumer preferences, today and in the future.

Thanks to robust investment in infrastructure and operations, the rail industry has become a responsive transportation solution. Our operational improvements ensure American businesses receive the consistent, reliable and affordable service they will need to reopen — and grow — in the weeks, months and years to come. By right-sizing our equipment, positioning employees to respond to shifts in traffic in real time and even working together across railroads to create express lanes that expedite service, we can quickly adjust our operations to meet fluctuating customer demands. Our customers, such as Del Monte Foods, are already seeing the benefits of these flexible service offerings.

Equipped for the future

We’re not just prepared for the eventual rebound in traffic: our network is ready for long-term shifts in how our supply chains operate. In the post-pandemic world, trends in manufacturing, trade and e-commerce that were already underway have the potential to accelerate. The pandemic revealed vulnerabilities in current supply chains and trade routes that could ultimately lead companies to explore shorter, more reliable alternatives. Economists expect some sectors will look to nearshoring and others may move operations stateside away from previous international manufacturing hubs.

To meet these changing needs, railroads are working to make sure they can move more freight by improving reliability and capacity, while continuing to offer affordable rates. For example, CSX is utilizing technology to help drive safety, customer service and growth while new operational efficiencies have reduced average transit times for rail carload shipments by more than two days. Canadian Pacific’s FastPass and BNSF’s RailPASS app cut wait times by using automated gate kiosks to get shipments from trains to trucks more quickly, thereby helping businesses get what they need faster. And, Norfolk Southern’s AccessNS e-commerce tool lets customers track shipments in real time while Union Pacific’s newly developed application programming interfaces, or APIs, can be integrated into customers’ systems to automate rail car ordering. These types of solutions are making it easier than ever before for rail customers to plan and optimize their operations.

An industry that’s always resilient is ready for whatever the future holds. That’s why today’s freight rail network is smarter, safer and more responsive than ever. As we move ahead, we will continue to live up to the confidence the nation puts in us as an essential service during times of calm — and in times of crisis. Americans have shown strength and perseverance through this pandemic. That American spirit keeps freight rail moving today, and it will keep all of us moving toward a brighter future we hope is just around the bend.


______________________________________________________

The above column is sponsor-generated content from the Association of American Railroads. Learn more about sponsor-generated content.

About Us Advertising Breaking News Alerts Careers Credit Card Payments Digital Edition FAQ Feedback Headlines Photos POWERJobs Press Print Subscriptions Write For Us RSS Site Map

Terms of Service Privacy Policy Do not sell my info