The pressure to accelerate logistics chains between Mexico and the southeastern United States is leading railroads to compete in territory historically dominated by trucking. In this context, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CSX Corporation (CSX) announced on Wednesday improvements to their premium Southeast Mexico Express (SMX) service, an intermodal initiative that seeks to gain competitiveness in transit times and expand rail reach to key markets in the region.

The companies reported that, since May 4, the service has been operating with a new schedule and route scheme that, according to the companies, allows them to offer transit times “competitive with trucks” between markets in the southeastern United States – such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Central Florida – and destinations in Texas and Mexico, including Dallas and Monterrey.

This is a significant change. The new SMX configuration reduces transit times on all previously available routes. Among the most notable adjustments is an improvement of approximately one day between Atlanta and Dallas, as well as a reduction of nearly 2.5 days between Atlanta and central Mexico , a corridor where time and operational consistency are critical factors for industries such as automotive, intermodal, and vehicle freight.

The improvements, the companies explained, stem from investments in rail infrastructure on the former Meridian & Bigbee Railroad (MNBR) corridor, including track work, bridges and signaling systems, as well as additional investments along the corridor that runs through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

“These service enhancements, which provide approximately a 20 to 45 percent improvement in SMX transit times, reflect our ongoing commitment to providing more advanced and flexible transportation solutions to our customers who are looking for innovative ways to reach new markets,” said Keith Creel, president and CEO of CPKC.

The executive stated that the alliance with CSX allows them to build a rail alternative that is difficult to replicate in the regional market. “Together with CSX, the SMX offers a level of speed, flexibility, and reliability that reaches additional growth markets in the southeastern United States. This is a premium rail solution that cannot be replicated because we have the best route connecting carriers to Texas and Mexico, which will allow more trucks to switch to rail,” he added.

For his part, Steve Angel, president and CEO of CSX, noted that the improvements are part of a strategy to strengthen the rail corridor between the two regions. “The enhanced SMX service demonstrates the long-term investments CSX has made to strengthen this corridor and provide more consistent and reliable service to our customers,” he said.

Under the new operating model, the dedicated SMX service will offer two-day transit between Atlanta and Dallas; three days between Monterrey and Atlanta; and four days from central Mexico to Atlanta . In addition, the airlines have added new origin and destination points, expanding coverage to Charlotte, Jacksonville, and Central Florida.

The rail investment also reflects the operational restructuring resulting from the acquisitions of segments of the former Meridian & Bigbee Railroad by both CPKC and CSX. This reconfiguration allowed for the establishment of a direct Class I-to-Class I rail interchange near Myrtlewood, Alabama, enabling an east-west corridor with greater freight capacity between the southeastern United States, Texas, and Mexico.

The service, originally launched in December 2024, has begun attracting logistics operators interested in rail corridors with performance closer to that of road transport. One of them is Schneider National , a firm specializing in multimodal and intermodal transport.

“Schneider has seen firsthand the value of ongoing collaboration with our rail partners to bring innovative new intermodal products to market,” said Mark Rourke, president and CEO of Schneider. “The enhanced Southeast Mexico Express offers more reliable, truck-like service, making it an attractive option for shippers looking to transport goods between Texas, Mexico, and the southeastern United States.”

Although the railway companies’ discourse focuses on efficiency and sustainability, the underlying issue also points to increasingly aggressive competition to capture cargo traditionally transported by road. According to the companies, each SMX service train could replace up to 300 tractor-trailer trucks , a narrative that combines environmental pressure, operational efficiency, and available capacity in corridors where trucking faces growing challenges of congestion and cost.

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El cargo CPKC and CSX accelerate rail corridor between Mexico and the United States apareció primero en T21.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) celebrates its third anniversary on April 14th as the only rail network connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico; a merger that has led to the development of new services to serve these markets.

The merger of these Class 1 rail companies also helped to boost the region’s competitiveness by strengthening support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as multiple industries based in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

In its first month of operation, it launched the Mexico Midwest Express (MMX), a premium intermodal service that offers a single line between Mexico and Chicago, without the need to change trains at the border, competitive in time and cost when compared to trucking.

CPKC also signed a new multi-year agreement with  Schneider National , one of the largest transportation and logistics service providers,  to provide new single-line intermodal transportation services on the north-south rail corridor connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, with CSX Corporation (CSX) , the railroads launched the  Southeast Mexico Express (SMX) service, providing faster transit times , increased capacity, and sustainable solutions on the new Class 1 east-west corridor connecting carriers in Mexico, Texas, and the southeastern United States.

“Our MMX, the fastest and most reliable service in the industry between the Midwest and the interior of Mexico, continues to grow and perform extremely well. And we are bringing that same model to Mexico and the Southeast United States, in partnership with CSX and our Southeast Mexico Express service. That business is just beginning to move. With our partners, we see a great growth opportunity in that corridor. We have created the best transit time in the industry in partnership with CSX from Atlanta to Dallas via the Meridian Speedway and from Atlanta to Monterrey. Competitive by truck to Dallas and superior by truck to Mexico,” stated Keith Creel, president and CEO of CPKC, at the time.

CPKC announced in its fourth quarter 2025 report that in the following months, it would launch the new SMX service with CSX, from central Mexico to the Atlanta, Charlotte, and Jacksonville markets in approximately four days or less.

Meanwhile, with  Americold Realty Trust,  they announced that they will formally explore  joint development opportunities in Mexico for the cold chain  to benefit goods transiting through the North American region.

Americold  plans to invest between $500 million and $1 billion  over the next five to ten years in projects with the railway company and its other strategic partner,  DP World .

On February 7, 2025, CPKC inaugurated the “Patrick J. Ottensmeyer” International Rail Bridge , which will double the company’s capacity on the border, specifically at the point between Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Laredo, Texas, strengthening trade between Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Similarly, the railway company held the Final Spike Steam tour, headlined by CP 2816 “The Empress”.

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El cargo Canadian Pacific Kansas City celebrates 3 years of operation following its merger apareció primero en T21.