The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has stated that freight railroads operating in Chicago are better prepared to manage rail traffic in the Chicago region due to the establishment of the Chicago Integrated Rail Operations Center (CIROC), which opened in December 2015. CIROC includes direct connections to each carrier and track views to assist employees with resolving operational issues and identifying and addressing congestion issues, reducing train delays.
According to the AAR, the railroads that make up the Chicago Planning Group and the Chicago Transportation Coordination Office established CIROC to monitor and facilitate efficient rail operations within Chicago.
“Chicago is the epicenter of the nation's freight and passenger rail system with about 25 percent of all U.S. freight rail traffic going through the region,” stated Edward R. Hamberger, AAR president and CEO. “Freight railroads have long taken steps to identify critical factors impacting rail operations in the area. Coordination between Chicago railroads is key to achieving the benefits of the extensive planning, particularly during challenging winter weather.”
The establishment of CIROC improves Chicago-specific visibility, metrics and measurements that work as early warnings for potential problems, said the AAR, equipping railroads to communicate on an ongoing basis, review train schedules and routing protocols. It also improves the ability to have the necessary equipment, materials and personnel in place to keep trains moving.
“Operational planning and plan execution are extremely important for all railroads across the nation's 140,000-mile rail network,” Hamberger added. “Under the new system, rail traffic issues will be better pinpointed through the CIROC's monitoring process.”
The AAR also noted that, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the volume of imported and exported goods transported via rail in Chicago is forecast to increase nearly 150 percent between 2010 and 2040.