railroad economics

Railroads are making targeted investments, developing innovative technologies and evolving operations to combat climate change.

Freight railroads face fierce competition

See current and future emission reduction technologies for locomotives

Comparing Amtrak and Freight Railroads

Making Your House a Home

See how much fits on a single rail car

Freight Railroads Keep American Moving

Freight railroads are committed to delivering the best possible service product for customers and consumers

The world’s 10 longest railway networks

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

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.  That search for modal share growth is still […]

About 25% of the total railcar fleet is in storage of one kind or another. Jim Blaze writes about best practices of rail storage.

The cost to build a railroad is staggering. Jim Blaze gives an overview of the costs involved in such an endeavor.

Jim Blaze explores the pontential for a merger or mergers among the Class 1 railroads.

Railroad volumes continue to drop. What might they do to increase volumes? Where are the volume increases going to come from?

Jim Blaze writes about the advantages to the railroads of rebuilding locomotives instead of buying new ones.

Like all industries, the coronavirus has impacted railroads. What should they be doing to gain market share and better serve their customers?

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic the Class I railroads were mothballing freight cars – and locomotives. Jim Blaze examines the issues surrounding the surplus of locomotives.

The pandemic’s economic toll has hit all sectors of transportation, including rail. Read how railroads can manage costs during this global crisis.

Jim Blaze looks at the declining need for railroad tank cars. Why is this happening and what’s next?

The coronavirus is impacting all sectors of the economy, and railroads are no different. Read what expert Jim Blaze thinks will happen going forward.

Should the railroads pare the number of types of railcars? Jim Blaze explores this topic.

Are there too many railroad freight cars? Jim Blaze writes about many reasons why this is the case.

Jim Blaze writes about the outlook for intermodal rail in 2020.

In the past 30 years railroad freight cars have been able to carry heavier loads, thanks to decisions made in the late 1980s. Read Jim Blaze’s article about what happened and how it has been very important to the railroads.

Railroads once carried much of the fresh produce across the U.S. Can they do it again? Jim Blaze explores the topic in his latest commentary.

Jim Blaze writes about the transportation of hazardous materials by rail. Accidents have occurred, and the railroads need to continue to work to decrease their number. However, rail is the safest way to transport hazardous materials.

Jim Blaze explores whether the Class 1 railroads are downsizing their railcar fleets.

Jim Blaze writes about the long, slow decline of coal as the key commodity for railroads, and whether plastics might replace the lost volume.

Railroad expert Jim Blaze writes about coal, a key commodity hauled by rail. The amount of coal being hauled by rail is declining. Why? And what does the future hold?

Jim Blaze explores the decline of railroad freight volume and what may happen going forward.

Darren Prokop explains why Positive Train Control – a positive safety measure for “Lower 48” railroads – doesn’t make sense for the Alaska Railroad.

Improving rail volumes and service are among the crucial issues to look out for as the railroads reveal their 2020 guidance in the coming days.

Jim Blaze profiles TTX, a company that is essential to the railroad industry.

Jim Blaze writes about the key messages he extrapolated about railroading in 2019.

Jim Blaze writes about the potential of short-haul intermodal traffic on the North American Class 1 railroads.

Jim Blaze writes about the financial issues inherent in an Alaska-to-Alberta rail route.

Market Expert Michael Baudendistel writes about rail intermodal volume is lower for the long-term, or can it be more competitive with trucking.

Railroad market voice Jim Blaze writes about technological advances that are making railroads’ capital expenditures on infrastructure more efficient.

Jim Blaze writes about the decline in rail freight; is it a recent event, or has it been taking place over a longer period?

Jim Blaze writes about the Alameda Corridor in Los Angeles, that takes some of the freight from the harbor to distribution centers. Is it still economically viable?

Jim Blaze writes about the North American railroads KPIs, and what the railroads need to do to increase railcar use, revenue and shipper loyalty.

Market expert Michael Baudendistel writes about whether there is a rail recession, or are railroads paring operations and employees to fatten their bottom lines.

Connecting the Alaska Railroad with rail service in Canada and the U.S. is a bold, expensive plan. But it would generate tremendous benefits. Read more here.

The credit ratings firm sees coal and intermodal volumes under continued pressure next year.

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

Jim Blaze writes about Conrail Shared Assets and its accomplishments on behalf of CSX and Norfolk Southern.

Jim Blaze explains the new CSX trip compliance reporting… perhaps the first step for railroads to compete more effectively with the trucking industry.

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

Jim Blaze writes about the competitiveness of railroads vs. trucks and the railroads’ lack of interoperability.

Jim Blaze writes about the decisions that will go into determining 2020 capital expenditures by the freight railroads.

The Surface Transportation Board has proposed two rules that could ease shippers’ burdens when contesting rail rates.

Market Voice Jim Blaze contents that railroads are using the wrong KPIs to increase volume and capture market share from trucks.

Several intermodal containers on trains running between China to Europe run empty due to lack of exporter demand for capacity.

Market Voice Jim Blaze writes about rail intermodal and what is happening to this area of the railroad sector.

Jim Blaze writes about FreightWaves SONAR and how it could be a helpful tool for the freight railroads.

As railroads cut less profitable routes, shippers should learn as much as possible about railroads plans for future service.

Jim Blaze writes about the recent history of intermodal rail service and what may happen in the next few years.

The Class I railroads have reported their second quarter/first-half of 2019 results. Jim Blaze writes about what may happen during the remainder of 2019.

Jim Blaze writes about the pros and cons of shippers owning or leasing their own freight railcars to move their products.

Jim Blaze writes about earnings season for the railroads, and what investors, customers and employees should be looking and asking for in the railroads’ quarterly earnings reports.

Jim Blaze writes about railroad movement of scrap – the market today and the future of the market.

Jim Blaze writes about the movement of grain by rail. This is a huge business for U.S. and Canadian railroads, and is also critical to the export market of the two countries.

Market expert Jim Blaze writes about the railroads’ transportation of fracking sand, as well as stone and gravel, aggregates and phosphates.

Market expert Jim Blaze writes about the movement of coal by rail. He explores the history of rail-coal; more importantly, he writes about what the future may hold for coal in the U.S. and how that will impact the railroads.

Market expert Jim Blaze explores what railroads need to do to capture more of the market share of oversize loads, which are essential to the economy and profitable as well.

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…

FreightWaves SONAR now features railroad-related data from Commtrex. The article provides insight about the Commtrex, the data it will provide to SONAR and how SONAR users will benefit from it.

Market expert Jim Blaze compares and contrasts Amtrak and America’s freight railroads.

Market expert Jim Blaze looks at an under-appreciated asset of North America’s freight railroads – their real estate holdings. Read Jim’s hypothesis of what the railroads might do with this real estate in the near future.