b'8American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comBlue Diamond Almond Growers launch Almond Express rail service from inland California to ports of LA and LBBy Stas Margaronis, AJOT As a result of cutbacks inBlueDiamondtotransportCaliforniatotheSouthern sailings to the Port of Oakland,somecontainersbyrail:Californiaportsprompted BlueDiamondAlmondSo, I am guaranteed that ifthe interest in rail: This was GrowersaresupportingtwoI dropped a box at the Port ofan existing vein that already new rail services transportingOakland that it will ship onwastransportingdairy almond exports from Centralthe rail whereas there is onlyproductsandnowisalso California to the Ports of Losa 30% chance that it will gotransportingalmonds.So, AngelesandLongBeach.outonaship.Mychancesthere is an almond-dairy rail Thearrangementrepresentsare waiting to try and get aconnection to the Port of Los oneofthefewshipper-railgateatOakland,seeingtheAngeles. And we have a good road export collaborations.gate changes there or facingpartnershipwiththeUnion AlthoughitisworthnotingtheequipmentandchassisPacific and this partnership is thatsuchpartnershipsoftenissueattheterminal.So,isstarting to take off Thats come at the expense of othertheextradollarswortha win for the farmers in the transportation alternatives.playing the 30% game out ofValley and we see that trend On July 4 th , Blue DiamondOakland? We dont have thegrowing.Ultimately,ittook partnered with Union Pacificluxury of waiting. alandownertoprovide (UP)andoceancarrierCMASchultsaidaninitial(LAUNCHcontinued on CGMtoinauguratearailrailservicefromFowler,page 12)servicefromthePortof Oaklands Union Pacific ramp toterminalsatthePortsof Los Angeles and Long Beach.Thisisinadditiontoa UP rail service from Fowler, California(intheSouthern SanJoaquinValley)thatis transportingcontainerized almond and dairy products to the Southern California ports also in partnership with CMANo dwell CGM.BlueDiamondsaysthe railservicecouldmoveas much as 1 billion pounds oftime.almondsviatheso-called Almond Express. Inaninterview,Steve Schult,VicePresident,GlobalJust on Supply Chain, Blue Diamond GrowerstoldAJOTthat thenewrailserviceshave beensupportedbyCaliforniatime. DepartmentofFoodand AgricultureSecretaryKaren Ross,UnderSecretaryBirdsong andDeeDeeMyers,Director Governors Office of Business andEconomicDevelopmentWelcome to done.(GO-Biz). Schultalsocitedthe supportofEugeneSeroka, ExecutiveDirector,Portof Los Angeles. American Journal of Transportation 8x 10 .125 08/16/22No Dwell Time. Just On TimeA lMonde xPortc ostsF ors outhernc AliForniAr Ails erViceSchultsaidthetworail services transport aboutTitle:Pub:400We move fast. And we go further for you. The Port Trim Size:Job #:Bleed Size:Colors:Close Date: containersperweektotheof Wilmington connects you to the Midwest region Southern California ports. via the Wilmington Midwest Express in as little as He said the cost to truckfive days. And we offer competitive rates, efficient 20077-NCP_JustOnTime_AJOT_Print_8X10_k1 NC Ports 20077 InDesign CC 4CacontainertotheSouthernon-port operation and a standard of service you Californiaportsfromthewont find anywhere else. Welcome to the port SanJoaquinValley(SJV)where fast is just the beginning. was$3,900percontainer comparedtoabout$1,900 by rail but there is an added $1,100 trucking charge which brings the total cost to $3,000File Name:App: Client: per container. Schultsaidthe$1,100 truckdraycosttoOakland from the SJV was seemingly thecheaperroutebut problemswithcutbacks800.213.4430 // NCPorts.comofPortofOaklandvessel services and Oakland terminal unreliabilityhadprompted 22031_20077-NCP_JustOnTime_AJOT_Print_8x10_k1.indd 1 8/16/22 2:37 PM'