Chicago Interstate & Rail Gateway
Chicago is the undisputed rail capital of North America — more freight converges on the Chicago region than any other U.S. market, with six Class-1 railroads and the nation's largest concentration of intermodal ramps. AFL's Chicago gateway sits in Joliet's CenterPoint intermodal corridor, within minutes of BNSF and Union Pacific intermodal yards, giving us immediate access to containerized freight arriving from the West Coast, Gulf, and cross-border corridors. From here, we transload, consolidate, and dispatch eastbound and regional freight across the Midwest and beyond.
Why We Chose Joliet, IL
Every AFL hub is positioned for a reason. Here's the strategic logic behind this location.
Chicago handles more intermodal containers than any U.S. market — roughly 25% of the nation's rail intermodal volume flows through the region's ramps, making it the natural hub for container transloading and drayage.
Joliet's CenterPoint corridor is the Midwest's premier logistics park, sitting adjacent to BNSF Logistics Park Chicago and Union Pacific Joliet Intermodal Terminal — two of the largest intermodal facilities in North America.
Six Class-1 railroads (BNSF, UP, NS, CSX, CN, CPKC) converge on Chicago, offering rail reach to every coast, the Gulf, and both Canadian and Mexican borders from a single hub.
Interstate convergence — I-80, I-55, I-57, and I-94 all serve the Chicago region, giving our drayage and linehaul trucks immediate highway access to the entire Midwest and beyond.
Chicago's position as the population center of the U.S. means a single distribution hub here reaches more consumers within a one-day truck drive than almost any other location in the country.
About the Region
Joliet & the Surrounding Area
The Chicago metro area (population ~9.5 million) is the third-largest U.S. metro economy and the nation's primary freight rail convergence point. More than 25% of all U.S. freight rail traffic passes through the Chicago region.
Joliet, in Will County southwest of Chicago, has become the epicenter of Chicago-area logistics development, anchored by CenterPoint Properties' intermodal parks and major distribution centers for retailers and 3PLs.
The Port of Chicago and nearby inland ports connect to the Mississippi River system and the Great Lakes, offering multimodal freight options beyond rail and truck.
O'Hare International Airport (ORD), one of the world's busiest cargo airports, supports air-freight and expedited options for time-critical shipments.
Facility Capabilities
What This Hub Delivers
Intermodal Ramp Proximity
Minutes from BNSF Logistics Park Chicago and UP Joliet Terminal, enabling rapid container pickup, transloading, and drayage.
Container Deconsolidation & Drayage
Ocean containers arriving by rail from West Coast ports are deconsolidated and transloaded to 53' domestic trailers for regional distribution.
Overweight Axle Transloading
Overweight ocean containers are redistributed across legal-axle domestic trailers, avoiding permit costs and enabling immediate highway departure.
Eastbound Freight Consolidation
West Coast and cross-border freight is consolidated into full outbound trailers for efficient eastbound linehaul to the Northeast and Southeast.
Cross-Dock Transloading
Rapid dock-to-dock transloading between ocean containers, rail, and domestic trailers with 15-30 minute turnaround targets.
Facility Specifications
- Immediate Proximity to BNSF & Union Pacific Intermodal Yards
- Rapid Container Deconsolidation and Drayage Shuttle
- Overweight Axle Transloading Permit Operations
- Cross-Dock Freight Consolidation for Eastbound Lines
- 84 Hydraulic Dock Doors
- 650,000 Sq. Ft. High-Bay Distribution Space
- Ocean-to-Domestic 40' to 53' Container Transloading
- EDI 214/317 Rail & Drayage Status Feeds
Nearby Markets
Truck-drive reach from this hub to major regional markets:
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicago Gateway Hub FAQs
Why locate a hub in Joliet/Chicago?
How close is the hub to intermodal ramps?
Can you transload overweight containers here?
What railroads can you access from this hub?
Operate from Our Chicago Gateway Hub
3100 CenterPoint Way, Joliet, IL 60436 • (815) 555-0144