Canadian National and W&LE Railways working
together at Stark Neomodal Terminal
New partnership revives Terminal and NEOTEC Foreign-Trade Zone in Navarre
NAVARRE, OHIO. . .The Stark Neomodal
Terminal in Navarre, Ohio, will be busy again - now that the Canadian
National (CN) and the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railways (W&LE) are
working together. The railways will provide intermodal train service to
and from the Terminal - a truck-to-rail transfer station - and also a
Foreign-Trade Zone site (FTZ).
As Canadian and US flags flew together over the
Terminal, a locomotive whistle sounded down the track. A few minutes later
a black and orange W&LE locomotive - Engine #4018 - pulled into the
Terminal with three flat cars and two passenger cars. The flat cars were
carrying two truck trailers and one huge container. The passenger cars
were carrying government officials, business people, and hopeful citizens
that had worked for many months to revive the Terminal after CSX
discontinued that railway's partnership with W&LE. Now there was a new
partner.
Later in the tent next to the tracks, John McGrath,
Chairman of the Stark Development Board (SDB) and President of Stark State
Technical College, told a group of about sixty, "We are here today to
announce a new partnership - giving us linkages to anywhere in the
world from the Stark Neomodal Terminal."
W&LE is a regional railroad based in Brewster, Ohio
while Canadian National is a transcontinental railroad with headquarters
in Montreal.
W&LE's job is to connect the Terminal to national
rail lines. W&LE trains will take intermodal shipments to Toledo - the
location of the W&LE and Canadian National interchange. Canadian
National's job is to link these shipments to points far beyond Toledo.
CN's lines reach to ocean and Gulf Port cities - to Prince Rupert and
Vancouver, British Columbia - to Halifax, Nova Scotia - to New Orleans -
to Mobile, Alabama.
These trains haul huge containers and truck trailers. In
fact, intermodal transport is the fastest growing part of CN's business,
according to an announcement the railway made earlier this year.
The Stark Development Board is the owner of the 28-acre
facility in Navarre, which was built in 1995 with initial funding from the
Federal Highway Administration through the Ohio Department of
Transportation.
Larry Parsons, Chairman and CEO of W&LE, introduced
the speaker from Canadian National at the August 11, 2000 event and
praised the company, "CN is the best-run railroad on the North
American continent!"
William K. Berry, CN's Vice President-Intermodal, said,
"This is going to be a great year for Neomodal. This project is
possible because of the partnership of Stark Neomodal Terminal, W&LE
and CN. Remember - it takes the support of the whole area to make
something like this possible. Look for great results. This facility is a
catalyst for new business and higher property values."
In his comments at the event, US Representative Ralph
Regula (R-16) emphasized the importance of trade and the promise of trade.
"This project is one more example of how we reach out to the world
through trade. Expanding trade helps build peace. Also when we can move
goods into the world economy, then we can have a strong economy at home.
That's what makes a strong economy."
Regula praised the intermodal system for saving fuel and
respecting the environment.
State Senator Scott Oelslager (R-29) spoke of employment
opportunities. "This project is part of the infrastructure that
creates and saves jobs. We're creating jobs here."
Berry promised that CN would emphasize efficiency.
"The railroad is an economical way to move goods. We are determined
to meet the customer's requirements. We listen to our customers. And we
are determined to keep on schedule - to run the trains on time!"
"We're thrilled to have a customer-oriented partner
like CN," said Steve Paquette, SDB's President.
Dale Gibbons, President & CEO of the Northeast Ohio
Trade and Economic Consortium (NEOTEC), said in an interview at the event,
"Beginning today the Terminal has the chance to develop its potential
as an FTZ site. Now businesses will be especially interested in
establishing here. We are pleased that Peoples Services, a well-known and
respected firm in Stark County, will be serving as the FTZ operator for
the Neomodal site." (NEOTEC oversees FTZ #181 which includes the
Terminal.)
John T. Matheos, Sales and Marketing Manager for Peoples
Services explained, "We help interested companies get ready to set up
shop in the FTZ. In this case, Peoples Cartage, Inc.(PC), an affiliate of
Peoples Services, is right next door to the Neomodal Terminal. Using
forklifts, workers at Peoples Cartage can bring shipments into the PC
facility directly and quickly."
"The Terminal and the railway partnership will open
up possibilities for the whole region," said Tracy Drake, President & CEO, Columbiana County Port Authority, who rode in on the train with
other officials and listened to the various speakers. "This project
is very good for Northeast Ohio."
Then there was the demonstration. A worker wearing a
hard-hat operated a "translift" - a massive white crane with
gigantic tires and a 90,000 pound lifting capability. Slowly a truck
trailer was lifted from one of the flatcars and placed on the ground next
to the track.
Neomodal was back in business.
Back to NEOTEC News Page
The Northeast Ohio
Trade and Economic Consortium (NEOTEC) is a regional economic development
partnership including Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, Summit and
Trumbull counties, built to improve market access through the development of
the Northeast Ohio Logistics Network and to promote international commerce
through the administration of Foreign Trade Zone 181.
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