Union Pacific Announces New Phoenix Terminal Connecting Southern California Ports to Phoenix Arizona
The new service offers a fast option to reduce trucks on the I-10 freeway, reducing time, labor, and emissions
Union Pacific Railroad announced plans to open a new international intermodal terminal in downtown Phoenix, providing rail freight options between Los Angeles and Long Beach for container freight.
The new terminal, owned and operated by Union Pacific, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024. It will be established in Union Pacific’s downtown rail yard, with the capacity to grow.
“We are excited to offer regional shippers and receivers in Arizona a fast, sustainable rail option to move product into and out of Southern California that is cost competitive and removes trucks from our nation’s congested highways, with an ability to expand offerings and grow in the future,” said Kenny Rocker, Executive Vice President – Marketing and Sales for Union Pacific.
The new facility will open with drayage support provided by Duncan & Son Lines, a family-owned logistics firm in Buckeye, Arizona, that specializes in international container freight from California.
Phoenix Arizona is the perfect location to handle the influx and distribution of container freight arriving in the United States from the southern California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Sending container freight to a Right-to-Work State like Arizona is a win-win for everyone involved. Truckers are boycotting California for very good reasons like the nation’s highest fuel prices, ridiculous emissions, and truck standards, very high vehicle registration costs, 55 MPH speed limit for trucks towing trailers, cost of living, property taxes, hotel prices, and no parking for big trucks.
Trains can carry hundreds of containers double stacked so this should definitely improve efficiency at the ports by removing the containers quickly without the need for so many trucks and trailers at the port. Loading rail cars inside the port is also much safer and requires a lot less security checking every truck.
The Phoenix Metro area is well-suited to handle the distribution and warehousing of the freight arriving with attractions like a modern city, a new and updated freeway system, distribution center availability, and lots of room to expand are the top picks.
This terminal is also very close to the Phoenix International Airport that’s already connected to the airport by rail. The city of Phoenix has master plans to expand the airport north to Washington St and the rail line is right in the middle of the expansion quickly connecting air to sea freight in Phoenix Arizona.
Phoenix also has five directions for distributing the freight, unlike California with three. Freight leaving Arizona can go north to Nevada, Utah, or Colorado. Freight going east to New Mexico and Texas, Freight going south can go to Mexico, and freight is almost free getting back to California because all containers and trailers are going back to the port empty.
