rail shipping

The Port of Huntsville in Alabama reported 24% year-over-year growth at its intermodal container yard in 2023.

Mexico’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec rail corridor could complement container movements along the Panama Canal.

What are stakeholders in the freight rail space keeping an eye on in 2024? Here’s a starter list.

The U.S. freight rail industry got schooled in 2023 on issues including the three R’s: rail safety, reciprocal switching and relationships.

Intermodal rail can and should be a competitive transportation mode, provided that short-line railroads play a part and more investments go into developing intermodal hubs and insightful data sets, according to a report commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund.

Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary Rail Link has secured five new contracts since September, the private short-line operator recently announced.

In light of the numerous comments that the Surface Transportation Board received on its proposed reciprocal switching rule, the board has extended a deadline for additional feedback by two weeks.

Executives with CSX, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern at recent investor conferences listed some of the ways they expect to improve rail service.

Dozens of industry stakeholders, from individual Class I railroads to multiple shipper groups to the trade unions, offered their input on what’s wrong and what’s right about the Surface Transportation Board’s proposed rulemaking on reciprocal switching.

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito want the Surface Transportation Board to “move swiftly” on reciprocal switching.

Rail shippers largely welcome a reciprocal switching rule proposed last week by the Surface Transportation Board, but some wish it did more to incentivize rail competition.

Regulatory policy expert Rosyln Layton says it’s dangerous to have the Surface Transportation Board lay the grounds for defining how rail service should look under the common carrier obligation.

After years of wrangling over the issue, the Surface Transportation Board has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on reciprocal switching that will seek to define the service parameters where a switching action could take place.

An anticipated decrease in grain exports and increase in domestic biofuels production could change U.S. freight railroads’ capacity needs in the coming years.

Technology might not be the only thing causing the freight rail industry to pivot. The industry’s relationships with its workforce and its customers might also be transitioning, suggested some speakers at the North American Rail Shippers conference.

APM Terminals on the U.S. Gulf Coast wants potential importing customers to know it has access to the Midwest via five Class I railroads.

During a panel discussion, Home Depot and others talk about how to grow freight rail.

Rail shippers discuss what issues they would like to see addressed in 2021. Among them: further action by the Surface Transportation Board and Congress on ensuring rail competition and adequate rail service.

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.

Retailer Meijer has worked with FourKites to develop a new product that tracks shipments based on the purchase order associated with the shipment.

Federal agencies in a “friend of the court” filing say discussions among Class I railroads can be admissible as evidence in dozens of lawsuits involving alleged price fixing.

Shippers’ lawsuits on alleged price fixing on fuel surcharges see continued activity. A hearing is scheduled in August.

As risks surge and stocks plunge, a look at the key coronavirus issues and a rundown of FreightWaves’ coverage to date.

Ben Thrower writes about the positive and negative aspects of precision scheduled railroading in this commentary article.

Market View commentator Jim Blaze writes about the advantages short line railroads offer to shippers.

To meet future rail demand, stakeholders must confront communication dysfunction.

Wind technology may be a solution for rail industry.

A federal appeals court denies a request by rail shippers to form a class lawsuit, and U.S. Senators press the Surface Transportation Board to take action.

Market expert Jim Blaze dissects the recent Surface Transportation Board hearings on demurrage and accessorial charges. Read his observations on the relationships between the railroads and their shipper customers…

South Korean ocean box shipping company, Hyundai Merchant Marine, and Russian far East intermodal box transport specialist, FESCO, have announced a series of changes to their Russia-China-Korea shipping operations. Rail specialist FESCO has also announced extensive Russia-China rail services.