Secretary of Agriculture says rail service is “inadequate and unreliable.

Joanna Marsh - Staff Writer - FreightWaves - Falls Church, VA Topic: Secretary of Agriculture says rail service is “inadequate and unreliable.”

1. “The railroads should not be able to continue to operate without buffer for unexpected demand, make historic profits, and engage in enormous stock buybacks, all while providing subpar service to agricultural shippers and disregarding safety,”  - Tom Vilsack

2. Vilsack said while rail service in 2023 so far has improved over last year, rail service “remains inadequate and unreliable for many agricultural shippers,”

3. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service noted in April that rail service metrics were mixed in the first quarter of 2023. Reduced carload volumes helped to improve service, but dwell times were still an issue, the agency said. 

Topic: BNSF to expand intermodal service in Texas

1. BNSF is increasing intermodal options in Texas by expanding service at the Port of Houston in response to what BNSF says is growing intermodal demand. The western U.S. railroad plans to add more service options between the Barbours Cut Container Terminal at the Port of Houston, which has on-dock terminal capability, and BNSF’s intermodal facility at Alliance, Texas, which is nearby Dallas-Fort Worth and has benefited from expanded capacity and technology enhancements as well as existing live lift capabilities, according to a Monday release. BNSF is also expanding service between Barbours Cut and BNSF’s intermodal facility in Denver.  The new service will start on June 2

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