CPKC's Vision for the Meridian Speedway!

Lots of interesting developments these past few months! Can't wait to see the progress!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Update: Trains magazine posted this article this morning after I recorded this video. It gives more details on the MNBR plans. It actually shaved off 158 miles of transit vs the CSX gulf coast routing. Here’s the link: www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/cpkc-and-csx-detail-their-plans-to-connect-their-networks-via-meridian-bigbee-shortline/

[@SlaterDozierRailroadMedia]

I was wondering if you read that. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.

[@greyghostproductions0938]

Can’t wait to see new trains on the meridian speedway

[@trainanswererguy8758]

Same Brayden.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Will be fun to watch it develop.

[@trainanswererguy8758]

Excellent news Bishop! I'd love to see more trains along the Meridian Speedway.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Yup

[@cliffwoodbury5319]

Amazing news/information and hearing your own personal opinions was just as appriciated.

[@allanblain9302]

CPKC will be a kick-in-the-ass that North American railroads need for better or worse. It seems to be a kick-start for combinations/partnerships that have always been there but not taken advantage of. And there is no better competition anywhere in NA than the traditional Canadian rivalry of CN and CP.

[@davehughesfarm7983]

Yes..I think its a good thing.

[@codyallan9222]

These kind of vids are my fav! You should do this with other routes!!

[@codyallan9222]

For example I’d love to see a video about the cpkc New Orleans route!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

While instead of potential Amtrak service in the years coming between Baton Rouge and New Orleans has been mentioned, there hasn’t been much news for the line. I do have plans to cover the Alexandria Sub from Shreveport to Latanier when I find the time though!

[@jdubbs3422]

I'm looking forward to the success of CPKC. I enjoy your videos, and keep up the fantastic work.

[@benjaminpettis5468]

Great Videos

[@hmitchell8618]

I really appreciate the informative videos. Each video you produce of CPKC makes me want visit the Meridian Speedway even more!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Cmon with it!

[@JackCarsonsRailroadVideos]

CPKC is already making great choices. Looking forward to what the have in store

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Yessir!

[@fredrickfraser1659]

With how much traffic the line gets (especially with potential service from Amtrak) I shocks me that the line is still single tracked

[@keithwest2575]

great information and video!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Thanks!

[@dougberry1011]

Great article. Good information. I live about 300 yards from the CP mainline in British Columbia. Nice to see KCS locomotives interspersed with the CP units and nice to see the CP units in your article.

[@zacharynewsom8153]

Im the conductor on the ground working the interlocker in bossier coming off the Alexandria subdivision I was like dang that’s me

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Ha nice! Always like seeing the crews we see watching!

[@NorthBay43]

Good video dude I like CPKC

[@frankbucholtz8713]

Thanks for this excellent update. As Canadians, we are following plans for CPKC with much interest. The Meridian Speedway will play a key role in reshaping rail transport patterns in your area, and to and from Mexico. The future will be interesting.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Nice to see our friends up north watching! I agree the developments and plans for growth has been just as interesting as trains themselves. Thanks for the comment!

[@hortenciogomez5193]

Looking forward for the Meridian Speedway's train traffic increase, especially the new CSX bound trains. Keep up the good work LRP!

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Oughta be interesting to see! Thanks!

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Very cool information, thanks! (Dave).

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Thanks!

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

thanks for the info very inretesting

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Yessir!

[@RFMCabooseNP1713]

Thanks for the new info.

[@TranscontinentalRailfan]

Very informative video! I want to see more of these industry update videos.

[@tommoore6887]

Bishop, where does CPKC pick up the ZLAAI from UP.....Wylie or Shreveport?

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Shreveport at Hollywood Yard.

[@anb7408]

NS has spent over $700 MILLION on a line they don’t even completely own, while some of their own busy lines don’t even have signals and powered switches. NS stipulated that CSX could NOT use the Speedway via Meridian and Shreveport. The CPKC and CSX lawyers got around that by buying the M&B and putting a crew change point at Myrtlewood, AL (literally the middle of nowhere) to subvert the “no crew/train change” agreement at Meridian. Their trains will change hands at Myrtlewood, completely negating the NS agreement. CSX will be using track that their arch rival NS paid to rebuild! NS has no one to blame but themselves for investing that much money in track they didn’t own outright!

[@larrybaldridge4078]

Thanks for the video, and the updates, I am anxious to see CSX on the M&B RR

[@NorthBay43]

Is CSX,Ferromex ,BNSF and CPKC also Union Pacific are going on the Sub

[@Weatherarorg]

CPKC is messing themselves up by cutting UP & NS out of the Meridian Speedway. We'll see what UP & NS with CN & Ferromex can do before the CPKC & CSX start their new arrangements in 2024. You never know which routes can pan out when the Class 1's team up.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Wouldn’t say they’re cutting them out. Just expanding their horizons with competitors lol. The traffic from both lines will either stick to the faster route, or agitate customers with the extra two days.

[@Weatherarorg]

@@LouisianaRailProductions I don't know about that. The Meridian Speedway might be the fastest East West route from DFW to ATL, but the CN-UP-FERROMEX service has the old Mo-Pac North American Land Bridge that has benefitted UP for 41 years. It's the backbone for the new revamped FALCON service between Vancouver, Montreal, & Halifax via Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Dallas, San Antonio, Laredo & Monterrey, Mexico. This routing has shaved a day and a half off the normal transit times via CPKC. Also, NS has the connections with UP & the CN's old ICG via Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, Jackson, & New Orleans, to Atlanta. There's now more than one way to get fast freight internationally in less than 4 days. It's an exciting new competitive iron horse race now. I'm betting on the UP, all the way!

[@bnsfwarbonnet]

Union Pacific has a lot of power to sabatoge new services since they control Hub Group EMP and Umax which will leave it up to private shippers and brokers to take advantage of CPKC services. CP and CSX have been getting back into rail owned containers because of this to avoid Union Pacific's control of the rail owned containers.

[@mechagodzillarodan]

Honestly, I think this is mostly about the automotive traffic than the intermodal. I live in Atlanta and I would say CSX has a few hours advantage over NS, not days. And that really is more about congestion in between BHam and Atlanta. And if CPKC does eliminate one of the trains from Wylie, that does allow another UP train of decent length back on the Speedway and out of Memphis. UP is trying to avoid another crew start. Like everyone. But to my original point, the Automotive traffic is what is expected to blow up. And there's no current limit on that. Now, when the Speedway gets really busy and starts to slow down everyone, that's when it will get interesting.

[@lakendrickriaquailrahlequah]

Quebec Central Railroad

[@WXRailfanner]

So is NS getting new trains from the CPKC Possibly?

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

At the rate they’ve been going I doubt anytime soon lol.

[@sernajrlouis]

Awesome video

[@newcastlerails1416]

I mean UP COULD split their Z train into two different trains and run it the same way but that of course is a silly idea in this PSR world. It would only make sense to divert all that traffic in a direction that takes 48 hours longer.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Well they use to have another eastbound symboled ILBNS (I966 for CPKC), but it was abolished. Could’ve easily tagged that extra cargo onto it, but nope lol

[@DominicMazoch]

This is going to run more traffic than through the congested Houston Terminal.

[@DominicMazoch]

I think CPKC needs to buy or get rights on the old SP line from Victoria TX to the KCS line to Big D in East Texas. This way many COKC trains can bypass the Houston Terminal.

[@timmyfrierson2684]

Well I hope NS is not booted out because they are the ones that rebuilt that railroad when Kansas City Southern took it over oh but anyway maybe NS will still be one of the major railroads running the Mouradian speedway

[@TrainBoy-fd1bp]

5:10 what does New Orleans,LA have something to do with The CPKC/CSX access to the M&B railroad

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

New Orleans is currently where CSX sends freight bound for South Texas or Mexico. The M&B would replace that routing method. Just wanted to explain the current logistics.

[@TrainBoy-fd1bp]

@@LouisianaRailProductions ok

[@richardcolemanjr3749]

way didn't NS buy the whole speedway out right back then is beyond me.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Willing to bet Haverty wouldn’t be willing to.

[@dave6695]

The entire railroad industry needs to get away from and stop using E. Hunter's PSR garbage way(s) of railroading. .

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

These size limits are at least a step in the right direction for CPKC. Long way to go though.

[@TmaxRadio1]

NS, CSX and UP could re-route traffic to other lines and sure it would take a bit longer but it would eliminate their need to use this line at all. CPKS is an abomination of class 1 systems. I did not support the merger. NS basically rebuilt this line for KS, and they should demand a refund.

[@LouisianaRailProductions]

Longer transit times = unhappy customers. CPKC hasn’t broken the contract with NS in any form so there’s no basis there I’m afraid. Much as I hate seeing KCS go, it’s been great watching these other Class 1’s deal with competition. Too many years of them bullying and offering terrible service to customers because they were the only option.

[@timmyfrierson2684]

That’s just what I’m talking about Norfolk Southern rebuilt that whole railroad from Meridian to Shreveport and they should demand a refund if they are booted off the tracks

[@timmyfrierson2684]

Really all Norfolk Southern hast to do is come on down to New Orleans and go from there to Los Angeles yeah it would take a little bit longer but they wouldn’t have to put up with CPKC’s crap