Railroads continue to play a significant role in North America’s economic infrastructure. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration, the U.S. rail freight network covers almost 140,000 route miles and is generally considered the largest, safest, and most cost-efficient freight system in the world. In addition, says the FRA, the almost $80 billion rail freight industry creates more than 167,000 jobs across the country.
In essence, rail freight companies charge businesses to carry cargo across their network of rails. Their rates are overseen by the Surface Transportation Board, a federal agency that regulates financial aspects of surface transportation. Major railroads in North America include Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National Railway.
Keep up with the latest news, trends and reports concerning rail freight transport here!
The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers’ refusal to ratify the latest deal sends the rail union back to the bargaining table.
Regional Rail, which is backed by infrastructure investment firm 3i, has acquired freight rail assets in western Canada that serve agricultural and energy interests.
TTD, a union coalition affiliated with the AFL-CIO, is asking Congress for regulation that would hold freight railroads to maintain sufficient infrastructure investments and workforce levels.
Both the railroads and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division say the extension will help all parties make the best decision on how to proceed with the outstanding tentative labor agreements.
High utilization rates show a demand for rail cars, executives for FreightCar America said during a third-quarter 2022 earnings call Tuesday.
Higher revenues in Q3 weren’t enough to offset a 30% increase in operational expenses for western U.S. rail carrier BNSF.
The rail division of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will ratify the latest tentative labor agreement between itself and the freight railroads.
Railcar manufacturers expressed five themes in recent earnings calls. Their consensus: There is still much to be upbeat about.
Agricultural shippers urge Congress to take action to prevent a rail strike while Canadian Pacific has a banner month for moving grain in October.
CN boasts record Canadian grain volumes, Watco completes a Texas terminal expansion, and the Association of American Railroads and the Intermodal Association of North America detail volume ups and downs.
FreightWaves chats with a representative of the rail division of the International Association of Machinists about the labor agreement talks with the freight railroads.
Federal board wants four Class I railroads to continue submitting rail service data that shows how service is improving.
Last week saw a number of updates on port infrastructure funding and terminal project statuses.
Concerns that not all of the unions will agree to ratify their labor agreements have caused rail shippers and other transportation industry stakeholders to push President Joe Biden to act.
Hub Group reported year-over-year increases in its intermodal, logistics and truck brokerage segments during the third quarter.
Canadian Pacific is working to ensure that merging operations with Kansas City Southern goes smoothly, officials said during the railway’s third-quarter 2022 earnings call.
Faster train speeds and shorter dwell times will open up network capacity for NS, officials said during the company’s third-quarter 2022 earnings call.
BRS follows the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, which earlier this month rejected the tentative labor agreement.
CN expressed confidence it can handle any market downturns, pointing to areas such as grain and coal where demand strips away any potential macroeconomic softness, officials said during the railway’s third-quarter 2022 earnings call.
Freight projects get underway in Chicago and Laredo, Texas; CN beats its grain record; Patriot Rail appoints a new COO; and Canadian Pacific disputes a court ruling on an Alberta land sale.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller provides insight into 2022’s peak season.
Railroad Workers United recently adopted a resolution calling for public ownership of U.S. rail infrastructure. FreightWaves chats with an RWU member on why the group wants the change.
Rallying employees to serve customers better will ultimately help CSX gain more business, the new president and CEO said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call Thursday.
UP is keeping a “growth mindset” as it looks to 2023 despite economic headwinds and an unresolved labor situation.
The National Carriers’ Conference Committee signaled that freight railroads will reject the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division’s counteroffer on a new labor deal.
Freight and passenger rail carriers must develop actionable items to prevent a cyberattack from crippling the rail network, according to a new TSA security directive.
The South Carolina Ports Authority will join other major East Coast ports in providing near-dock rail via the planned Navy Base Intermodal Facility at the Port of Charleston.
An overview of Day 1 of F3: Future of Freight Festival.
An overview of F3: Future of Freight Festival and the key speakers.
Promoting competition, Laredo’s rail conversion potential and passenger rail in Louisiana were among the themes explored in the second half of the seven-day hearing proceeding on the CP-KCS merger.
The National Conference of Firemen & Oilers voted by a nearly 59% margin to approve its labor agreement with the freight railroads.
Although Hurricane Ian dented volumes at Georgia’s ports, Georgia Ports Authority still saw quarterly volumes grow by 9.6% year over year.
A labor agreement with U.S. freight railroads passed the latest ratification test with members of the mechanical and engineering division of SMART-TD voting to accept the contract.
Canadian railway CN and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers members who are part of CN’s Canadian operations have a new labor contract at hand.
Despite reports that U.S. imports are slowing down, South Carolina Ports reported a nearly 11% increase in overall volumes in September year over year.
Labor negotiations and rail service issues dominated an otherwise quiet third quarter.
Members of rail union BMWED have rejected a tentative contract deal with U.S. railroads.
Railroad intermodal volumes are down, but consumer spending remains relatively strong. Carloads of coal are up, but forest products are down. Whether these volume changes reflect broader macroeconomic slowing remains less clear.
Canadian railway CN says it is positioning assets and adding more horsepower in order to keep the network fluid during extreme winter weather.
The Surface Transportation Board logged over 25 hours last week to hear from stakeholders about the advantages and drawbacks of the proposed Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern merger.
American Train Dispatchers Association members have approved the new labor contract with freight railroads by a 64% majority vote.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services said Monday it has expanded its transloading capabilities to include Seattle and Laredo, Texas.
Trinity Rail Group will supply a mix of 15,000 tank and freight railcars to GATX over a span of six years.
The ports of Halifax and Saint John in Atlantic Canada seek opportunities to bolster volumes and greening efforts.
BNSF is planning to invest more than $1.5 billion to develop a Southern California facility aimed at easing congestion at the West Coast ports.
Norfolk Southern names new leaders to transportation and network operations team. BNSF and California passenger rail explore green technologies to power trains.
Rail companies can save on labor by eliminating the conductor role. But workers believe it would make their jobs more dangerous.
Rail workers with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have voted to ratify the union’s labor agreement with U.S. Class I railroads.
Patriot Rail Company announced it is acquiring fellow short-line operator Delta Southern Railroad.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has introduced the Reliable Rail Service Act in response to calls from shippers’ groups and the unions to help restore the nation’s rail network capacity.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 19 has reached a new agreement with the U.S. Class railroads, one that modifies an agreement initially rejected by the group.
A Canadian whistleblower wants STB to press CP on how it plans to operate its private police force in the U.S. after its merger with Kansas City Southern.
Watco and Telegraph are collaborating in an effort to provide rail shippers with more information on where their railcars might be located on Watco’s network.
The hurricane could hit central Florida later this week, causing Tampa-area port facilities to brace for Ian’s impact.
AskWaves looks at what carbon calculators are and why potential and existing customers of freight rail might benefit from them.
Union Pacific and the Railway Supply Institute are among those forming partnerships, while the CREATE Program gets a $70 million federal grant.
In this issue of the WTT newsletter: rail workers still want to strike; Nikola’s Trevor Milton intervention; pre-trips go VR; best states for drone delivery
One additional paid day off and three medical leave periods are provided in the tentative rail agreement, but there are limitations.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller outlines how FreightWaves SONAR pointed to the global freight recession months ago.
Just because a labor agreement is in sight between the railroads and the unions, that doesn’t mean rail service will instantly improve, shippers told FreightWaves.
News briefs involving short line acquisitions, Class I rail headcount in August and rail technology developments.
Did you know that every 3 hours in the US a person or vehicle is struck by a train. It’s rail safety week and WHAT THE TRUCK?!? is here for it with Operation Lifesaver
On demand on WHAT THE TRUCK?!? J.B. Hunt’s Shelley Simpson on the road to becoming president, rail strike and more. Plus, Redwood, FreightVana, OneRail
In a Q&A, FreightWaves chats with Joseph R. Hinrichs, CSX’s incoming president and CEO, in the wake of the announcement that current CEO Jim Foote is retiring at the end of month.
Freight railroads are attempting to rapidly resume normal operations now that a deal has been reached to avoid a strike on Friday.
Rail workers haven’t seen the new tentative agreement that delayed their strike plans, but currently known details aren’t promising for some.
A nationwide rail strike has been averted as the railroads and unions have reached a deal.
In the unlikely event of a legislative settlement, rail workers could attempt to gain leverage through a risky walkout.
Billions in trade between the U.S. and Mexico could be affected by a railway strike that could begin Friday.
With a Friday deadline looming for some rail unions and management to make a deal, a shutdown is looking more and more possible.
Ahead of a strike that could occur after midnight Friday, U.S. freight railroads are winding down operations and the White House is preparing contingency plans.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, whose ranks total nearly 5,000 members, has voted to reject the tentative labor agreement between it and the Class I railroads. But two unions voted to ratify their agreements.
On demand on the podcast: what a rail strike means for freight and you; Truck Driver Appreciation Week; surviving CDL school and more
At IANA, the CEO of Parallel, the autonomous rail startup, describes the landscape he sees for the company’s product.
Beyond impacts to the supply chain, one national security expert contends a rail strike could pose a threat to national security.
Settlement legislation introduced in the Senate may not be enough to avoid a rail strike or lockout on Friday.
Nine out of 12 labor unions have reached tentative agreements with the railroads, up from five last week.
Disaggregation, or a shift toward smaller, faster, more flexible forms of freight transport, can help decarbonize the freight industry, remove logistics bottlenecks and increase resilience of domestic supply chains.
Congress must prevent a rail shutdown. Otherwise, factories will close, food and fuel supplies will dwindle and inflation will soar.
Three more railroad unions have reached tentative agreements with Class I railroads on new labor contracts.
Uncertainties over whether union members will go on strike next Friday are causing the U.S. Class I railroads to embargo certain shipments and tell customers to expect delays.
The CEOs of Union Pacific, CSX and Norfolk Southern anticipate rail volumes to grow amid service improvements and despite macroeconomic uncertainties, according to their comments at an investor conference this week.
The Association of American Railroads estimates that a nationwide strike could cost about $2 billion each day, while shippers groups rally Congress to intervene in the event a strike seems imminent.
KCS has sites in the southern U.S. and in Mexico that are primed for the construction of warehouses and manufacturing facilities.
Thanks to a federal grant, the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University will be working with four other colleges to develop climate-resiliency strategies and tools for U.S. freight and passenger railroads.
Two more unions, whose membership totals about 6,000 freight rail employees, have tentatively agreed to a new labor contract that calls for substantial wage increases.
Peak harvest season begins in the U.S. soon, and grain shippers are hoping rail service will be able to meet market demand.
The soybean associations say helping offset construction costs of AG Procressing’s terminal expansion at the Port of Grays Harbor will help soybean exporters in the long run.
Two of the larger unions, BLET and SMART-TD, were unable to reach a tentative labor agreement last week. But both “remain committed” to reaching one.
Three railroad unions plan to send their members a tentative labor agreement for ratification. However, there are still nine unions that have yet to strike a deal.
Transport Canada says it is initiating the first steps toward implementing a version of positive train control in the country.
This week in Borderlands: Kansas City Southern set to build second rail bridge in Laredo; Texas firm constructing a truck and trailer parking facility near Houston; Omni Logistics opens new shipping hub in Dallas; and New Mexico port expanding with help from federal grant.
The Utah Inland Port Authority, short-line operator TNW Corp. and the Surface Transportation Board have announced appointments and promotions.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada wants the country’s major railways to install enhanced train-control technology similar to positive train control in the U.S.
Railroad union representatives have been reticent publicly about how they plan to proceed with contract talks following last week’s recommendations from an independent board.
The American Chemistry Council says freight rail service still leaves much to be desired, despite the railroads’ efforts to improve.
The Mojave Inland Port could reduce congestion at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The Surface Transportation Board wants to know how the seven Class I railroads expect to meet demand for rail service during the harvest season running from September into the new year.
July was a record month at the Port of Virginia. At SC Ports, July’s volumes were up from June as the Port of Charleston sought to improve port flows.
Canadian midstream operator Keyera and CN are considering creating an energy terminal that would serve the production-rich region.
