Express Lane
Overview
Fresh, Fast and Headed Your Way
Express Lane was designed four years ago by Union Pacific and CSX Transportation to expedite perishable goods from California and the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast. Express Lane has now moved over six million tons of product and continues to offer shippers an expedited alternative to the high cost of trucking.
![]() To secure an Express Lane rate, call the UP Refrigerated Products Team at 800-877-0513 or CSXT Sales at 800-528-5222. |
Express Lane Transit Table
| Destination | Idaho Origins | Bakersfield/Fresno CA and Hinkle, OR Origins |
| Chicago, IL | 5th morning | 6th morning |
| St. Louis, MO | 5th morning | 6th morning |
| New York City, NY | 7th morning | 8th morning |
| Boston, MA | 8th morning | 9th morning |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 8th morning | 9th morning |
| Jessup, MD | 8th morning | 9th morning |
| Atlanta, GA | 8th morning | 9th morning |
| Winter Haven, FL | 9th morning | 10th morning |
Partnership Benefits
The partnership between two of the rail industry's premier carriers — Union Pacific and CSX Transportation — create unparalleled features for the Express Lane service offering:
- Substantial savings over truck, based on the economies of rail. One rail car has the loading capacity of up to three truck loads.
- Access to more perishable shippers than any other railroad.
- Service to the largest consumer markets in the East via CSXT.
- Use of Union Pacific's refrigerated boxcar fleet — the largest in the industry.
- Availability of value-added services such as transit monitoring, shipment management and problem resolution.
Equipment
Union Pacific has the largest refrigerated boxcar fleet in the industry. We will add 1,500 new 64-foot refrigerated boxcars by the end of December 2005. We are also refurbishing our standard 50-foot refrigerated boxcars and will have 2,600 complete by December of 2006.
The new and refurbished equipment features:
- Carrier Ultima Refrigerated Rail Units
- Satellite Tracking
- +/- 2 Degree Set Point Variance
- Fresh Air Exchange
- Remote Sensoring
- Remote Diagnostic Testing and Pre-Tripping
| 64' Refrigerated Boxcar Dimensions | 50' Refurbished Boxcar Dimensions |
| Length: 64 feet | Length: 50 feet |
| Width: 9 feet, 3 inches | Width: 9 feet, 1 inches |
| Height: 11 feet, 9 inches | Height: 9 feet, 6 inches |
| Cubic Capacity: 6,900 square feet | Cubic Capacity: 3,975 - 4,269 square feet |
| Load Capacity: 190,000 pounds | Load Capacity: 140,000 - 160,000 pounds |
![]() |
![]() |
Additional Services
Union Pacific Distribution Services (UPDS) personnel monitor Express Lane shipments each day of transit. UPDS personnel will also proactively coordinate the following services:
- Shipment releases
- Transit time monitoring on a through basis
- Problem resolution
- Data analysis/corrective actions
- Equipment supply
- Shipment management
- Load consolidation
- Customized traffic reports
- Warehousing
- Crossdocking transfers
- Local pick-up and deliveries
Call UPDS at 800-877-5633, Option 5 for Express Lane shipment monitoring needs. For more information on destination transload/truck delivery, please visit the UPDS Web site.



