With North Dakota producers and manufacturers attempting to compete on the world market, the state is working on a rail freight strategy that will best facilitate product movement.

Only in Dilworth-Fargo can the BNSF Railways northern intermodal line be accessed. The line specializes in container traffic, speeding the flatcar loads of these metal boxes from one intermodal center to the next.

But with a intermodal center being built in Minot and a transload center capable of intermodal service developing in Bismarck, producers and manufacturers will have much-improved access to intermodal shipping and the steamship ports that carry products all over the globe.

Making sure that it all comes together is what the state freight strategy plan is all about, according to the state Department of Transportation director Dave Sprynczynatyk. Connecting buyers to sellers in the most expeditious manner means a myriad of logistics to be develop.

"Basically, over the last couple of years we've been working with the state's communities, trying to make sure the state's rail needs as a whole are met," Sprynczynatyk says.

Trips also were made to the Far East - Hong Kong and Shanghai - to meet with the large shipping companies and find out how they can better be served.

North Dakota is served by two major rail companies, BNSF and Canadian Pacific. BNSF's intermodal line runs through Minot and Fargo-Dilworth. CP's line isn't an intermodal rail, but does connect to CP's intermodal rail in Canada. BNSF also operates a mercantile line which runs from Dilworth-Fargo to Billings, Mont., and through Bismarck.

"With BNSF planning for a major refueling site in Minot and contemplating putting a car repair facility there also we felt it was the perfect opportunity for an intermodal facility," Sprynczynatyk says.

At first Sprynczynatyk was concerned that a Minot intermodal facility would be in competition with Bismarck's transloading center, but after reviewing their mission, he doesn't think there is competition and they will actually enhance each others opportunities.

"The difference between the intermodal and mercantile lines is that a true intermodal center deals with containers only, while the mercantile allows transloading, not container cars but other cars also," Sprynczynatyk said. "The products shipped through Minot will be conducive to container traffic while Bismarck will be able to transport a variety of products."

In visiting with the international shippers, the state found that for every 10 containers shipped inland from the west coast, six of the 10 returned empty. Hopes are, that with improved access to intermodal facilities in North Dakota, producers and manufacturers will be able to fill those containers.

"Dilworth-Fargo handles a lot of speciality commodities such as peas, beans and lentils which are easily shipped via containers. It's important to the companies in the Far East that those products' identities are preserved. They want to know where the products are coming from and by sealing products in containers identity preservation is maintained," Sprynczynatyk said.

"Crops in the Bismarck area and southwestern part of the state often don't require identity preservation, and we expect to see more manufacturing to come out of the Northern Plains Commerce Centre."

Russ Staiger, director of the Bismarck-Mandan Development Association, says Bobcat is very interested in shipping its products via container. He said currently parts come into Tacoma, Wash., and Seattle on steamship and then are trucked to Bismarck and Gwinner for assembly.

"Bobcat wants to bring the containers all the way to Bismarck and break them down," Staiger says.

Bobcat containers would travel to Dilworth-Fargo and then to Bismarck.

Sprynczynatyk said North Dakota shippers want to haul their product via truck the least distance possible. With three separate facilities available with intermodal capabilities and a freight strategy in place, North Dakota producers won't have to truck commodities very far to access rail transportation.

"What we're trying to do with the state freight strategy is make sure all shippers have good access to their markets whether their needs be containers or rail cars, transload or intermodal," Sprynczynatyk says.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)