Association of American Railroads

U.S. rail traffic is back on track after November swings, with intermodal gains outpacing weaker carloads.

Regulators may consider more oversight as a way to improve rail volumes.

Costs and feasibility of CARB’s anti-pollution rule for locomotives was debated on Capitol Hill.

The Federal Railroad Administration has lowered the gates on railroads looking to move to one-person crews.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reopened the international border crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, according to the freight railroads affected by the five-day closure.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division is continuing to express its disappointment over planned furloughs at Union Pacific. But UP insists that it will call back furloughed employees as the railway pursues rail service and safety goals.

EPA’s proposal to consider mandating air pollution reporting could place new burdens on rail yards and rail carriers, critics say.

Add Kansas to the list of states that require more than one person in the locomotive cab of a freight train.

U.S. intermodal volumes actually grew in September, according to the Association of American Railroads. And with the harvest season in full swing in the fourth quarter, expect rising grain volumes.

This AskWaves article looks at how a U.S. federal government shutdown would affect freight rail operations and proposed rail safety and economic rulemakings.

Rail, port and trucking interests want the Biden administration to ramp up oversight and coordination of the multi-billion dollar infrastructure law.

The Association of American Railroads says a federal program in which employees can anonymously report safety concerns has the potential for misuse.

The Transportation Trades Department wants to know why the Class I railroads haven’t fully committed to a program that lets employees anonymously report safety concerns. The railroads say sticking points remain.

The Association of American Railroads is suing the state of Ohio over its new law on freight train crew sizes.

The new regulations calling for zero-emissions configurations by as early as 2030 are too lofty in part because technologies are not yet commercially viable.

The Association of American Railroads has outlined eight ways that the freight rail industry and the federal government can work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Norfolk Southern and SMART-TD are tabling discussions about how to handle conductor redeployments as congressional lawmakers want more information about what rail safety initiatives should become law.

Norfolk Southern notified federal officials about loose wheels, and the Association of American Railroads put out an advisory to halt the use of rail cars that might have this issue.

The Association of American Railroads has laid out initiatives the freight rail industry expects to take up to boost safety amid calls from federal officials in the wake of the Feb. 3 Ohio train derailment.

Rail unions warn that revisions to a rule affecting railroad contract workers could be a step backward for safety.

Rail trade groups’ and rail unions’ responses to NTSB’s preliminary report on the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment offer different views on what the next steps should be.

U.S. freight railroads moved fewer volumes in 2022 than 2021 amid declines in intermodal traffic, according to recent industry data.

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.

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.

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.

A nationwide rail strike has been averted as the railroads and unions have reached a deal.

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 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.

In proposing a minimum train crew size of two members, FRA reverses its stance that crew size questions should be left to the railroads and the unions.

Union Pacific is seeking to extend its tests on wheel temperature detectors, but the Transportation Trades Department disagrees with the way UP wants to deploy the technology.

The Federal Railroad Administration has established a Climate Challenge initiative, which is targeting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the industry by 2050.

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.

From executive transitions at Union Pacific and Pacific West to January rail volumes to new offerings in the MoW lessor space, here are some news items rounding out the week.

Freight transportation experts weigh in on Pete Buttigieg’s one-year mark as the secretary of transportation.

Despite being stymied by labor shortages and lack of equipment such as chassis in the second half of 2021, U.S. intermodal volumes were actually pretty high considering the yearly total.

Infrastructure and capacity expansion projects, regulatory uncertainties and progress toward supply chain visibility and sustainability are the themes that rail and intermodal stakeholders have set their sights on in 2022.

The nation’s key railroad lobbying group did not like the original House infrastructure bill but has praise for the final product.

Congress approves provisions allowing under-21 truck drivers – as well as guidance on truck brokers and freight dispatchers – in a five-year highway bill that is part of a larger $1.2 trillion infrastructure package.

A private investment firm’s acquisition of a MOW services company, AAR’s environmental nods and Lineage’s new cold storage warehouse round out the rail roundup.

The Association of American Railroads applauds the 24/7 approach to container operations, which the association says is similar to the way freight railroads function.

Intermodal rail volumes were lower again year-over-year in September as the ability to process containers and imports is stymied by ongoing supply chain capacity constraints.

Labor and chassis shortages, as well as congestion in the wider supply chain, have contributed to lower U.S. intermodal traffic compared with a year ago.

Canadian Pacific, Norfolk Southern and the broader freight rail industry describe how they plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Railcar manufacturer Greenbrier’s Q4 orders total over $530 million, plus U.S. weekly rail volumes dip on an intermodal traffic decline.

The Association of American Railroads responds to regulator’s inquiry about supply chain congestion, while GoRail advocates for regulation supporting freight rail industry growth.

The pace of U.S. rail volume growth slowed in July, according to Association of American Railroad data. But still expect intermodal growth through 2021 in North America, the Intermodal Association of North America said.

U.S. rail traffic was flat year-over-year as the July Fourth weekend impacted volume comparisons. Also, Northwestern University released a report describing how freight rail handled supply chain challenges over the past year.

Railroads are a responsible way to mitigate the transportation-related causes of climate change

U.S. rail carloads showed strength in 19 of 20 commodity categories in June. Second-quarter intermodal traffic climbed 22% even with network congestion and equipment shortages as the backdrop.

Ocean carriers and Class I railroads both agree that chassis shortages are contributing to volume congestion. But solutions to relieve the congestion rely on multiple supply chain stakeholders, say the railroads.

U.S. rail volumes climbed nearly 30% in May from last year’s pandemic-induced troughs. Intermodal traffic has boosted rail volumes this year and could continue to do so in spite of capacity constraints at U.S. ports.

he U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting lower export volumes for corn, wheat and soybeans for the 2021-2022 crop year. The agency also expects record overall U.S. farm exports for fiscal year 2021. Also, U.S. rail volumes on a weekly basis were flat to lower from the prior week.

News briefs outline U.S. rail volumes, expanded service offerings by TNW Corporation and The Andersons, OmniTRAX rail-ready sites in northeast Ohio and milestones at the Transportation Technology Center complex in Pueblo, Colorado.

U.S. rail traffic slipped last week from the prior week, although they’re still up by double-digit percentage points year-over-year, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.

Steel and chemicals were among the commodities that showed volume strength in April, according to the Association of American Railroads. North American intermodal volumes grew 10.5% in the first quarter, said the Intermodal Association of North America.

Union Pacific is constructing a grain transload facility at its intermodal terminal near Chicago, while two U.S. senators introduce bipartisan legislation to form a grant program that aims to reduce highway-rail grade crossings.

The costs to electrify freight rail in the U.S., albeit expensive, extend beyond strictly capital costs to questions about electric grid reliability and how best to address decarbonization.

A portal to provide agricultural shippers with visibility for their covered hopper cars will help them conform to food safety transportation standards and prevent cross-contact with food allergens.

U.S. weekly rail volumes were 24.5% higher last week, although last year’s figures reflect the volume downturn that occurred at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. rail traffic rose 14% in March amid higher grain and intermodal volumes. But some commodities are also reflecting uneven year-over-year comparisons because of the pandemic-induced volume downturn that began in late March 2020.

The pandemic-induced volume downturn from last year is making year-over-year comparisons inflated. However, strength in the consumer economy could support rail volumes.

Freight rail associations and shippers praise President Joe Biden’s efforts to modernize U.S. transportation infrastructure, but some are worried about how to foot the costs. Also, congressional leaders introduce bills on railcar recycling, highway grade crossings, and loans for rail and intermodal facilities.

February rail service issues are still being felt in March, raising concerns about the Canadian rail network’s ability to handle increased grain volumes in future years.

U.S. intermodal traffic on a weekly basis continues to show strength, rising last week by 22%, according to the Association of American Railroads. The increase comes amid higher U.S. retail sales in February year-over-year, despite a sequential decline.

International intermodal volumes for the U.S. have risen 44% year-over-year, according to FreightWaves SONAR, amid higher import activity.

U.S. weekly intermodal volumes moved higher last week amid support from retail and e-commerce, while carloads slumped as some U.S. Gulf Coast facilities seek to fully return to normal following February’s winter storm.

The extreme cold and heavy snow dampened U.S. rail volumes last week.

A U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Tuesday vacated the Federal Railroad Administration’s May 2019 order on train crew size, saying the agency didn’t conduct an adequate public review prior to the order.

U.S. Class I rail headcount totaled 113,461 employees in January.

FreightCar America makes Terry Rogers its permanent CFO, the Association of American Railroads reports weekly U.S. rail volumes rose 0.3% year-over-year, and The Broe Group updates its progress on a Savannah, Georgia-area industrial park.

The U.S. housing market is tight heading into 2021, with higher housing starts and limited inventories helping to support lumber and wood carloads.

U.S. rail volumes rose 5.3% in January as gains for intermodal, chemicals and grain were enough to offset losses for coal and petroleum products, according to AAR data.

Anticipated consumer spending levels, retail restocking and tight truck capacity are among the factors that could support intermodal volumes this year, according to Class I rail execs.

U.S. weekly rail traffic rose nearly 6% last week amid a 43% increase in grain carloads and a 13% rise in intermodal traffic.

Anticipated higher natural gas prices could prompt coal’s share in U.S. power generation to grow in 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook.

AAR disregards that straight electric locomotives are easier to maintain. Plus each electric locomotive could be as powerful as perhaps two diesel-electric units.

Falling U.S. coal carload volumes reflect the decline of U.S. energy consumption of power generated by coal. Also, U.S. intermodal traffic offset volume losses in 2020.

The abnormal year of 2020 cannot be ignored. It simply is less relevant for strategic purposes when tracking rail’s progress.

Total employment among the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads fell nearly 14% year-over-year amid the railroads’ continued deployment of precision scheduled railroading.

The coronavirus relief bill that passed Congress includes language that would make permanent a tax credit encouraging short line railroads to invest in capital projects.

Railroads assert work time flexibility is needed to respond to emergency situations on their tracks.

Freight rail groups and others congratulate the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, on his nomination to lead DOT; also, U.S. weekly rail volumes rise nearly 5% year-over-year

The new rule takes into account recent technological advancements and harmonizes U.S. regulations with Canada’s.

U.S. weekly carloads last week were only 1.4% lower than year-ago levels, while intermodal traffic is still experiencing double-digit percentage increases.

November was a bright spot for U.S. and Canadian grain carloads.

The Association of American Railroads recently laid out some issues that Amtrak, host railroads and the federal government must grapple with as they implement on-time performance metrics and standards for Amtrak.

Larry Willis, president of the Transportation Trades Department for the AFL-CIO, died Sunday after sustaining injuries in a biking incident.

U.S. carload traffic on a weekly basis was 3.1% lower last week on a year-over-year basis and 1.7% higher sequentially.

Weekly intermodal traffic is still higher year-over-year although on a sequential basis, volumes appear to be leveling off for trailers.

With intermodal volumes growing in the third quarter and October, how will the railroads handle intermodal traffic in the fourth quarter?

Rail stakeholders debate the legacy of precision scheduled railroading and the common carrier obligation.

Intermodal traffic props up rail volumes and gains for retail sales; CSX, Union Pacific announce new appointments.

U.S. intermodal traffic on a weekly basis rose 8.4% year-over-year. Carload volume still lags although the year-over-year gap is narrowing.

A rail shippers coalition continues efforts to ask the Surface Transportation Board to consider collecting first-mile and last-mile data.

U.S. intermodal volumes grew in September amid a continued increase in U.S. imports.

U.S. intermodal traffic continues its upward trend but carloads are still lower year-over-year.

U.S. rail volumes were down by only 1.3% compared with the same period in 2019. Intermodal traffic provided the boost.

U.S. rail volumes, including intermodal traffic, fell in a week that was shortened by Labor Day.

U.S. intermodal traffic continues upward trend; separately, Kansas City Southern reportedly rejects takeover bid.