JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CSX Corporation's railroad subsidiary, CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), working in concert with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, has opened New England's first double-stack cleared intermodal route on its rail line between the New York state line and the newly-expanded intermodal terminal in Worcester, Mass., benefitting businesses and consumers in central New England by reducing transit times on key lanes by as much as 24 hours.

The project involved increasing vertical clearances at 31 locations between Worcester and New York State to 21 feet, enabling intermodal trains to operate with containers stacked two-high. The project connects with the double-stack cleared rail network at the New York state line, giving the region the ability to link with double-stack intermodal service throughout the country. Previously, double-stack intermodal trains coming to New England from the Midwest or from Western origins had to stop in Syracuse, NY, to be converted from double-stack to single-stack configurations. The reverse occurred on Westbound routes from New England, adding time, cost and complexity to these freight flows.

The result is faster, more efficient, more reliable, more economical and environmentally friendly freight rail service to and from the region.

The project was part of a larger agreement with the Commonwealth that enabled Massachusetts to acquire CSXT's rail lines in the Boston area to increase commuter rail service. In conjunction with that project, the intermodal terminal in Worcester was expanded, creating a world-class intermodal container transfer facility with excellent proximity to New England's highways, distribution centers and the consumption market, and solidifying CSX's strength in the region.

"This is an excellent example of how the public and private sector can work together on projects that benefit the public, strengthen the economy, and enable highway to rail freight conversion to reduce strain on public infrastructure and serve supply chains seamlessly," said Clarence W. Gooden, CSX's executive vice president and chief commercial officer.