BNSF Railway Co., in collaboration with CSX Corp., recently announced that it will offer a direct-rail intermodal service between Los Angeles, Cal., and North Baltimore, Ohio. The domestic and international container-only service is expected to begin on Oct. 29, 2018.

The new service, which is designed to simplify customer supply chains, will run both eastbound and westbound, with departure offerings five days per week in each direction. Customers that take advantage of this new service can reach key markets within the fast-growing Ohio Valley region, the company said.

“Our new Ohio intermodal service will create an efficient, direct service from the West Coast into the Ohio Valley region,” said Tom Williams, group vice president of consumer products for BNSF. “It’s another way BNSF is working to streamline the existing supply chain and makes moving products easier.”

Much like the BNSF route from southern California to Atlanta, Ga., a portion of this new service from the Los Angeles region to North Baltimore will operate under a haulage agreement with CSX. The route will traverse BNSF’s Southern Transcon through and beyond Chicago, Ill., to the Ohio Valley.

Manufacturing is Ohio’s largest economic sector, with export commodities shipping from the state to 213 countries.