Eastern Railroad Discussion > Three Southeast Auto Plants To Close

Three automotive plants located, 2 in Alabama and 1 in South Caroline recently announced plant closures as a result of the Covid19 Pandemic. 

Mercedes Benz serviced by NS in Vance AL stopped production on Monday 3/23 for the next two weeks. Yesterday afternoon NS 27A (ANGUILLA JCT, GA (GITM) – MCCALLA, ALA) ran west bound out of Atlanta with only 39 empties. Typically would have about 80 empties. 

Honda serviced by CSX in Lincoln AL also stopped production yesterday for 1 week.  Transload Service from Lincoln to Talladega CSX facility for loading.

BMW serviced by NS Greenville announced yesterday they will shut down production for 2 weeks April 4 - 19. 

 At Look At The Metrics For CSX & NS
#1. CSX & NS last eight week Motor Vehicle & Equipment Car Loadings 
#2. CSX & NS total car loading's for the single week ending 3/13/2020 2019 VS 2020 
#3. CSX & NS last eight week Container & Trailers Handled 

 

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/20 16:45 by NSSpike.

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Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala has also shut through the end of March. But they're served by CSX not NS.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/20 05:25 by ctillnc.

Thanks for that detailed analysis. Most US assembly plants are at the bottom end of a supply chain that has hundreds of links all over the world.  Lose one or two suppliers, in Thailand and Sri Lanka, or Fort Worth, and you're cooked.  Even "assembled in USA vehicles often have 30% foreign content.

The 1936-1937 United Auto Workers takeover of Fisher Body #1 in Flint Michigan similarly squeezed a principal supplier for General Motors. Squeeze it, and production stops all over the country.

Unless it has changed - NS does not serve the Honda plant. Honda has changed to CSX. NS directly serves the plant but CSX is about 30 miles away. This all changed about 2 years ago when NS lost the contract.

Bob

bh35226 Wrote:
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> Unless it has changed - NS does not serve the
> Honda plant. 

Nothing has changed! The original post was geared toward the fact that 3 auto plants in Alabama announced their plans to shut down production. We learned that another,  Hyundai in Montgomery had already shut down.  Where I evidently failed here is that I didn't indicate what Class 1 railroads service these plants..So I need to address that. Sorry for the lack of details guys.
 

Phil Maton
Villa Rica, GA

You can also add Kia in West Point, GA served by CSX as shutting down for two weeks starting on 3/30.

Toyota in Indiana has also shut down for a few weeks. Served by NS.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/20 06:07 by bodkin6071.