Transport deregulation’s long game has left much of the asset-based carrier field with few players. Will the cycle turn to usher in a cast of competitive newbies?
FreightWaves chats with chief sustainability officers about their experience and how they drive sustainable change at each company.
FreightWaves looks at five themes that ran throughout the earnings discussions of the Class I railroads.
“First Class I railroad in North America to issue green bonds,” Norfolk Southern shares plans for environmental projects.
Containers, vehicles and rail moves contribute to a record April for the South Carolina Ports Authority.
The U.S. Department of Transportation wants the Surface Transportation Board to take up Amtrak’s request asking to establish passenger service between Mobile and New Orleans.
Norfolk Southern aims to add longer trains, improve car velocity and provide more technological tools for customers and for safety inspections, with an eye toward future competition with autonomous trucks.
First-quarter operating ratio was 61.5%, compared with an adjusted operating ratio of 63.7% in the first quarter of 2020.
The publicly traded Class I railroads expect rail volumes to improve this year despite severe winter weather curtailing operations in February.
Short line operator Vermont Rail System and legislators from Vermont and Massachusetts question how CSX and Norfolk Southern would handle joint ownership of Pan Am Southern because it would involve a competing short line railroad
Amtrak wants to establish passenger rail service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, but CSX, Norfolk Southern and the Port of Mobile have some reservations. Amtrak has filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board to turn its plan into fruition.
Eastern U.S. railroad CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) has started the regulatory process to acquire New England short line operator Pan Am Railways in a move that CSX hopes will strengthen its […]
The railroad says it will no longer build a rail transfer facility after the City of Atlanta raised objections to the Surface Transportation Board because of the site’s historical and cultural significance.
Extreme cold and lots of snow in the Midwest and other areas could impact rail operations and cause delays, according to some railroads.
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.
Norfolk Southern seeks to increase train lengths and weights as part of its next stage of precision scheduled railroading deployment, executives said during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday.
Fourth-quarter net profit was $671 million. An 8% decrease in operating expenses helped to offset a 4% decline in operating revenues.
Medical records from UPS truckers and Norfolk Southern rail workers exposed as hackers leak data from a Virginia occupational health-care provider after an apparent ransomware attack.
Dachser promotes Burkhard Eling to CEO; GlobalTranz hires Bryan Foe as SVP; the Containerization & Intermodal Institute appoints Randy Bayles to its board; and Illinois Railroad Association taps Michelle Kelm as executive director.
Drayage provider ContainerPort Group announces intermodal terminal operator FSI Inc. will start operating under the CPG banner at the beginning of the year.
The Eastern U.S. railroad attributed its decision to furlough employees to changing market conditions.
J.B. Hunt issues intermodal service advisory as railroads BNSF Railway and Norfolk Southern implement gate restrictions in Los Angeles and Chicago.
Train lengths, improving network velocity and coronavirus uncertainties are among the big themes expressed by Class I railroad executives at a recent investor conference.
The acquisition would add Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to CSX’s 23-state network.
KCS says Mexico protests are impacting fourth-quarter revenue, and Norfolk Southern announces leadership changes.
Railroads are leveraging automation and evaluating assets to improve fuel efficiency. Corporate climate goals are on the rise as railroads increase their conservation and emission-reducing efforts.
Which of the big seven railroad companies has a volume growth strategic plan to sync with J.B. Hunt?
1998: The Surface Transportation Board has approved the division of Conrail between Norfolk Southern and CSX, which will be left in control of most railroad traffic in the eastern half of the United States.
Former Bethlehem Steel plant site at Sparrows Point, Maryland, attracts shippers and 3PLs to build Northeast distribution centers.
The Rail Pulse members control a potential car fleet universe of about 300,000 units.
Hub Group sees a strong demand environment continuing as most of its customers are operating with lean inventories. The company expects tight freight fundamentals to create a favorable rate environment in 2021.
The railroad will be idling rail yards around Atlanta and will cease humping operations at its Macon, Georgia, yard.
The Eastern U.S. railroad reported an adjusted net income of $643 million in the third quarter of 2020, compared with $657 million a year ago.
“Port partners are taking proactive steps to add more resources and service hours to support this untraditional peak cargo volume season.”
The Eastern U.S. railroad said it expects preliminary operating revenue of $2.5 billion and operating expenses of $1.67 billion in the third quarter of 2020.
Although the hurricane isn’t expected to make landfall until later this week, the Class I railroads are preparing now for potential service disruptions.
The railroad will convert to flat switching at the Pennsylvania yard.
FreightWaves chatted with Norfolk Southern’s Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin to learn how the company’s sustainability efforts complement operations.
Class I railroad crews will spend the next two days clearing downed trees and restoring electric power along tracks in southern Louisiana.
Logistics aid network seeking assistance from transportation sector.
The campaign is part of a broader effort to prevent the spillage of the tiny pellets during their transport.
Hub Group’s second-quarter earnings beat was accompanied by the expectation for intermodal volume to increase in the high-single-digit range for the rest of the year.
The railroad aims to take market share away from trucks through expanded offerings in the Southwestern and Southeastern U.S.
Second-quarter rail volumes fall by 26%.
Supply chain strategy set “to seamlessly and efficiently import materials and export tires to global markets.”
With no end in sight to the pandemic in North America, BMWED says railroads should enhance worker safety.
CN lays out 2020 capex plans for Nova Scotia, railroad supply group’s head to depart, and Norfolk Southern makes changes to its demurrage and accessorial charges tariffs.
Rail traffic continued to build through June. U.S. intermodal traffic was only off 5% year-over-year in week 26.
Pandemic-induced rail volume declines, operational changes among reasons for falling employment figures
Deutsche Bank analyst Amit Mehrotra favors a few transportation stocks as the second quarter comes to a close.
The yard was once the largest hump yard on the railroad’s network.
Class 1 railroads reiterate that some measures they took to cut costs because of the coronavirus could become permanent.
BNSF and others are monitoring their rail networks as Cristobal moves up the Mississippi River Valley.
The changes come as the eastern U.S. railroad enters another year of precision scheduled railroading.
Like all industries, the coronavirus has impacted railroads. What should they be doing to gain market share and better serve their customers?
The cuts to train starts are part of the railroad’s wider objective to implement precision scheduled railroading.
Like other railroads, Norfolk Southern is feeling the effect of lower rail volumes because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The company says its “disposal’ of 300 locomotives and its plans to sell 400 more are due to precision scheduled railroading.
The Eastern U.S. railroad joins CSX and Union Pacific in warning the Securities and Exchange Commission that it could see potential operational and financial impacts because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rail industry will try to keep business as usual for as long as possible, according to recent notices to customers.
The eastern U.S. railroad promotes Vanessa Allen Sutherland to EVP and chief legal officer.
The modifications include extra precautions that follow CDC guidance.
Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific say they have contingency plans should the coronavirus threaten to disrupt operations.
The autonomous track inspection technology is mounted on a locomotive, allowing NS to inspect rail track in real time.
The Eastern U.S. railroad moves its leaders to new positions as the railroad continues to roll out its operating model based on precision scheduled railroading.
Uncertainty is still an underlying theme facing North American freight railroads.
The Eastern U.S. rail company cites declining coal volumes and fewer utilized locomotives as contributing factors for the closure.
To reduce or eliminate blocked highway-rail grade crossings, the federal government needs to define the roles of stakeholders and technology, hearing witnesses said.
Response to DOT’s national freight strategy proposal reveals top concerns.
Union Pacific opens lanes, while Norfolk Southern talks lane opportunities to take market share from trucks.
Railroad giant Norfolk Southern Corp.’s fourth-quarter profit declined 5% as the company hauled 9% less freight, officials said. Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) reported its operating and financial results for the […]
J.B. Hunt’s fourth quarter call addresses some challenges facing its brokerage and intermodal businesses.
Jim Blaze profiles TTX, a company that is essential to the railroad industry.
Two Norfolk Southern-owned or -operated rail facilities in West Virginia and Virginia have been impacted by closure and layoffs.
Lower rail volumes, an active Surface Transportation Board and a strike were among the key events that the U.S. and Canadian freight rail industry experienced this year.
Proposal providing relief for shippers could be rolled out next year.
Railway Age reports NS wants to double-stack its trains as they move through Pittsburgh, but residents in the north side of the city are stacking up arguments and fighting back.
The changes come as the railroad deploys precision scheduled railroading.
North American Class I carloads increased year-over-year in week 47 on a favorable comp. The prior four-week average remains weak.
Rail executives discussed short-term strategies for growing rail volumes amid expectations that volumes won’t pick up until well into 2020.
The Class I railroads furlough workers in times of lower volumes but unions think the cuts have been too deep as a result of precision scheduled railroading.
Jim Blaze writes about Conrail Shared Assets and its accomplishments on behalf of CSX and Norfolk Southern.
Further operational efficiencies will push the railroad to its target, the company said.
Now Goldman thinks that ISM data won’t turn positive until Q2 2020.
Carloads on the railroads remained under water in the first week of the fourth quarter 2019. Intermodal weakness will be in the spotlight as third quarter earnings season approaches.
Trucks are competitively priced on East Coast lanes and offer better service than the railroads.
“We don’t know where the bridge went. We do know it went down, most of the middle sections did go down to the south.”
More downpours add to flood threat in parts of Desert Southwest hit hard yesterday. New spots of flooding also likely.
Companies file a flurry of lawsuits against the big four U.S. Class I railroads, alleging their fuel surcharge programs violated antitrust laws.
Heading into earnings season, the railroads clearly have a revenue headwind as carloads declined again in the latest week.
Declining coal consumption in the U.S. may have led to the dispute.
Norfolk Southern announced that Claude Mongeau has been elected as a director. The former Canadian National Railway head may be viewed as an effort to improve PSR initiatives or to explore potential opportunities to partner with other Class I railroads.
Executives at North America’s major railroads are making the case that intermodal service will be more reliable and consistent after a year of major service changes. This comes as weakness […]
The Port of Savannah’s expansion plans will benefit shippers — so long as infrastructure needs outside the port are met.
The two railroads said customers should expect delays and possible rerouting.
The outlook from JBHT was notably better than the concern around the lack of an uptick in seasonal demand that many carriers expressed at multiple investor conferences in May and June.
Slumping coal demand, trade wars and a competitive truck market are weighing on rail volumes for the remainder of the year.
The railroads say customers should expect delays and rerouting because of the hurricane
Hurricane Dorian’s approach upward along the U.S. Southeast coast will shutter maritime and rail assets throughout the region during the week. Dorian was located just 100 miles off the Florida […]
The new appointments could indicate how the companies are preparing to respond to future market trends.
