Moving volume by rail

AKCoverMan

Well-Known Member
In the US, UPS is one of the largest single customers of the rail companies, moving tons of small package via TOFC (Trailer on Flatbed Cars).

I am curious about UPS operations in other countries, do you use rail for anything?

Ernie
Anchorage, AK
 

drewed

Shankman
I believe they do in Europe, Asia I believe they dont
and as for the AK there are a lot of reasons we dont do rail movement up there.
 

AKCoverMan

Well-Known Member
I believe they do in Europe, Asia I believe they dont
and as for the AK there are a lot of reasons we dont do rail movement up there.

I know we don't use rail here for small package, although I think some part of SCS handles movements of freight on the ARR.

We have a whopping 3 feeder runs in Alaska, everything else moves by plane and/or contract 3rd party carrier.

Ernie
 

MuppetUK

Member
I've also seen trains Hauling lots of UPS trailers in the US. I've never heard of UPS doing that here in the UK. Obviously the US is a vast country whereas the UK is very small and densely populated in comparison making moving trailers by train a lot less viable. There are some companies that do though. Eddie Stobart, one of the biggest european hauliers moves a lot of freight by train using multi-modal conatiners, mostly from europe to the UK though i believe. Stobart has a big contract with Tesco (one of the biggest UK supermarkets) and they ship food by Rail between England and Scotland. I suppose we may move parcels by rail between England and Scotland if the volume picks up significantly as UPS have 50 Krone Multimodal trailers aquired with the Lynx aquisition and the Tamworth Super hub isd right next to a rail freight depot.
 

Tiny Panda

Well-Known Member
Not in the UK, i've often thought about it especially as our ctr is next to the Great Western mainline but i guess there just isnt the volume to justify it, each ctr would only just aobut fill a large rail car and as they are so far apart it wouldnt be viable. That said however our Tamworth hub is next to a rail head so maybe in the future theres the expansion possibility
 
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