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 Western U.S. railroad joins the seven-member industry coalition as well as provides an update at an investor conference on how operations are going.
CN will implement Wabtec’s precision dispatch system over the next year.
The Federal Railroad Administration said Thursday that 46 projects across the U.S. have received more than $368 million in grants for rail-related infrastructure improvements.
A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives is supporting a bill that would encourage companies to replace or modernize older freight railcars via a tax credit.
FreightWaves chatted with new National Railway Equipment CEO Merritt Becker about how NRE expects to help companies deploy technology to their older locomotive and inland waterway fleets.
CSX has completed its acquisition of New England short line Pan Am Railways. CSX first announced plans to acquire Pan Am in November 2020.
The Federal Railroad Administration grant will be used to upgrade the intermodal rail yards at the Seagirt Marine Terminal.
Trinity Industries’ acquisition aims to benefit rail shippers, while Canadian Pacific’s agreement with Hapag-Lloyd seeks to provide service to key inland Canadian and U.S. Midwest markets.
Nexxiot will provide tracking technology for Knorr-Bremse’s railcar component systems.
AskWaves defines what the common carrier obligation is and why the concept has garnered attention lately.
U.S. freight railroads and a rail union disagree over what’s the best way to deploy enhanced track geometry inspections.
The port is undergoing a modernization initiative and aims to double container capacity as part of a broader effort to attract market share from Northeast and Midwest customers.
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators wants the Surface Transportation Board to take action to address service delays and congestion on the freight rail network.
Georgia Central Railway will serve Hyundai Motor Group’s $5.5 billion-dollar electric vehicle and battery manufacturing facility near Savannah.
A U.S. federal appeals court ruled that four Class I railroads must bear the burden on what internal documents can be excluded from two lawsuits about fuel surcharges and price fixing activity in the early 2000s.
In the wake of the latest deadly shootings, Democratic lawmakers urge carriers to tighten firearm security measures.
Tampa Electric says rail service issues are why the power company isn’t receiving enough coal from CSX, according to a filing to federal regulators. But CSX says the problem lies with reduced production at the coal mine.
It was another record month for GPA, with container volumes up by over 6% year-over-year.
BNSF has made some changes to the attendance policy that it implemented in February, but unions say the changes don’t go far enough to prevent worker fatigue.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller lays out the premise of Freedom Trade.
The board could adopt reciprocal switching and first-mile and last-mile data collection, according to comments made by STB Chairman Marty Oberman at a U.S. House subcommittee hearing last week.
Advocates for freight and passenger rail in Texas are pressing legislators to pursue federal grant opportunities that would bolster short lines and intercity rail.
Fourteen projects received matching grants to upgrade track and bridges.
Two bills, one before the New York State Senate and another before the New York State Assembly, would require Class I and Class II railroads to have a minimum train crew size.
Norfolk Southern issued green bonds in 2021 that enabled it to fund $496 million in projects that aimed to lower carbon emissions.
Rail investors and observers think the Class I railroads’ efforts to bolster train and engine crew counts will improve rail service in the second half of this year. But geopolitical, economic and regulatory uncertainties also abound.
April volumes at the Port of Virginia in Norfolk were at the second highest in port history, right behind December 2021.
A 34% increase in retail imports is driving cargo volumes higher, SC Ports said.
Transport Canada’s proposed changes affect waybill reporting requirements for long-haul interswitching and they detail new traffic reporting requirements for smaller Class I operations.
The Surface Transportation Board wants Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX and Norfolk Southern to provide service recovery plans following reports and testimony about deteriorating rail service.
A hearing at the Surface Transportation Board raised hard questions that could influence the trajectory of the freight rail industry.
Higher revenues contributed to increased profits in the first quarter for BNSF.
Craig Fuller explains the impact of higher diesel prices on the U.S. economy and consumers.
Using data to optimize supply chain efficiencies can reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Customers are keen to lock in capacity for the year and mitigate risk, executives said during Hub Group’s first-quarter 2022 earnings call.
Canadian Pacific believes its acquisition of Kansas City Southern is still on pace to receive federal approval sometime early next year.
The operating plan, which builds upon the precision scheduled railroading-inspired initiative for NS’ manifest network, will be launched sometime late in the second quarter of this year.
“There’s been a big shock in the supply chains, and we’re working very hard to get our rhythm back and our operation back and to serve our customers well,” says new CEO Tracy Robinson.
CSX, XPO Logistics and AIT Worldwide Logistics were among several companies to make sustainability announcements on Earth Day.
FreightWaves founder and CEO Craig Fuller writes about the impact of Chinese lockdowns on global supply chains and the U.S. trucking industry.
The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition, which represents the unions at the negotiating table, panned the Class I railroads’ offer to advance payments amid stalled talks over a new labor agreement.
The Federal Railroad Administration has established a Climate Challenge initiative, which is targeting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the industry by 2050.
Class I railroads’ offer of advance payments is rebuffed by one union as contract talks continue.
The Surface Transportation Board wants ‘act on its own initiative’ to modify rules governing its response to service emergencies
This week’s rail news roundup includes CSX’s to offer SMART-TD members advance payments to improve relations and Wabtec’s latest acquisition.
Norfolk Southern Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin chats with Tyler Cole of FreightWaves about the ways that the freight rail industry is helping stakeholders adopt sustainable practices.
Former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman explains in an Earth Day interview how the freight industry can embrace a more environmentally friendly future.
Precision scheduled railroading will help the western U.S. railroad recover service more efficiently, UP executives argue.
The eastern U.S. railroad says its hiring initiative is going well.
The U.S. railcar lessor doesn’t expect the war in Ukraine to impact company profits, but the conflict is affecting operations in Poland.
As investors and rail stakeholders digest the Class I railroads’ first-quarter 2022 financial results, discussions about service metrics, crews and capacity, and inflation could creep into earnings calls.
The U.S. Maritime Administration issued a final environmental impact statement for the Pier B on-dock rail facility at Long Beach and approved the project.
On its first-quarter call with analysts, management from J.B. Hunt said demand indications from customers have been strong. The path is likely not as easy for smaller players in the space.
The Sweeteners Users Association asks federal regulators to address rail service issues, plus news from Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and Commtrex.
The Surface Transportation Board gives the green light for CSX to acquire Pan Am Railways.
Illinois-based CF Industries says UP’s plan would hamper CF Industries’ ability to deliver fertilizer during the spring application season.
STG Logistics has made nearly a dozen acquisitions over the last five-plus years. However, its latest deal for XPO’s intermodal unit is its most transformative yet.
If UP and customers can’t reduce the number of active railcars on the network, the railroad may temporarily resort to metering.
The letter sent by the National Grain and Feed Association to regulators about subpar rail service is finding support among other rail industry stakeholders.
FreightWaves Founder and CEO Craig Fuller explains the boom and bust cycle of the trucking industry.
SC Ports handled 264,334 TEUs in March, up 6% year-over-year.
The Class I railroads say they have been trying to improve service, which has deteriorated amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Surface Transportation Board questions whether headcount reductions come into play.
Democratic leaders urge the Federal Railroad Administration to act on worker fatigue, while the Port of Montreal’s new container terminal will be served by rail.
With record inventories building and bottlenecks easing is deflation next?
March volumes at the Port of Virginia were the highest yet for 2022.
The Western European and North American railcar markets could benefit from shifting global markets due to the invasion of Ukraine, executives said during Greenbrier’s second fiscal quarter earnings call.
The evidentiary hearing before the Surface Transportation Board, which was originally scheduled for two days, will likely tack on two more days as the board collects lots of data and testimony over how Amtrak’s service could affect freight and port operations.
The union coalition calls on federal agencies and railroads to ensure attendance policies don’t result in overly fatigued locomotive engineers and train conductors.
Carbon offsets are a growing alternative or additional step toward reducing emissions in sectors like transportation.
Large-scale real estate developer Focus Equities will oversee the construction. Its head explained to FreightWaves why Winnipeg is a prime location for customers.
BNSF Railway Co. last week acquired 3,508 acres in the Phoenix region with plans to develop it as its Western hub.
FreightWaves rounds up recent freight rail-related news items.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wants the Surface Transportation Board to move forward with proceedings that would address rail service for grain and agricultural products shippers.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has released the results of its investigation into a fatal February 2019 grain train derailment. But Canadian Pacific refutes some of the findings.
Near-term deployment of long-term technologies such as automation isn’t as far away as one might think.
The sustained year-over-year gains propel the Georgia Ports Authority to expedite more than $538 million in funding for projects aimed at increasing capacity at the Port of Savannah.
The National Grain and Feed Association is asking the Surface Transportation Board to compel three Class I railroads to provide weekly and annual service updates.
The new container cranes will enable the terminal to accommodate multiple ultra-large container vessels simultaneously.
Data can help identify causes of inefficiency and inform better decision-making.
Four Class I railroads have donated funds to support humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and surrounding areas. Also, U.S. and European rail sector officials form a task force to support Ukrainian freight and passenger rail.
Key speakers announced for The Future of Supply Chain.
Short line operator G&W and Class I railroad BNSF announce their industrial development results for 2021.
BLET and SMART-TD have decided to pursue binding arbitration in front of a third-party board instead of an appeal.
With Wabtec’s help, NS will retrofit locomotives so that they can last 20 more years.
The railcar manufacturer sees elevated scrapping levels and higher leasing rates.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for federal, state and local governments to develop inland ports to improve network flows, say stakeholders.
Canadian Pacific Railway and the Teamsters union agreed to settle a labor dispute through binding arbitration, averting a supply chain crisis.
The shutdown of Canadian Pacific’s rail network is putting additional strain on the supply chain as shipments grind to a halt with backups looming at ports.
Supply chains are at risk after Canadian Pacific shut down its rail service amid a contract battle with the Teamsters.
American Made Chassis, an alliance of LB Steel and Integrated Industries, will build the chassis at an Illinois facility.
The board held a two-day hearing on reciprocal switching to help it determine how it should move forward.
The railway has issued a 72-hour notice to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference that it would lock out its members from working starting Sunday should labor agreement negotiations fail.
J.B. Hunt announced plans to expand its intermodal container count to 150,000 units in efforts “to substantially improve capacity” as part of a joint initiative with BNSF Railway.
CP and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference are still in talks over a new labor agreement. The union had said earlier this month that a strike could occur as early as Wednesday.
The second-generation carbon calculator helps customers and shippers gauge the carbon emissions their shipments produced.
Calls for the Canadian government to head off a strike at Canadian Pacific are coming from both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.
The North American rail system can learn a lot from the Europeans as both seek to incorporate battery and autonomous technologies into their freight rail networks.
The Surface Transportation Board will hold a two-day hearing on reciprocal switching next week. Here is some background on the issue.
SC Ports has seen record container volumes for 12 months straight.
Congress should fund the Surface Transportation Board, agreed panelists at a U.S. House hearing on the board’s funding reauthorization. But they disagree on what STB’s role should be in regulating the freight railroads.
