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!
Organizations may lobby Parliament to declare rail service an essential service so that access remains available during events such as labor strikes.
Kansas City Southern can attribute its growth in cross-border traffic to a former president, a Railway Age essay says.
The latest features in SONAR 5.0 make it the most future-focused version to date.
Service improvements will help grow rail volumes and revenue, the company said during its fourth-quarter earnings call Friday.
Jim Blaze explores the decline of railroad freight volume and what may happen going forward.
Coal declines and a still sluggish industrial economy could put pressure on revenue this year. Still, CSX sees upside potential for intermodal and merchandise volumes.
Net profit for Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) slipped in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to the prior year, but revenues were 5% higher amid increases for chemicals and petroleum and industrial and consumer products. Fourth-quarter net income was $127.2 million, or $1.30 diluted earnings per share, compared with $161.1 million, or $1.59 diluted […]
Los Angeles port signals efficiency gains as the third-largest container alliance plans additional SE Asia stops.
Net earnings fell 8.5% in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared with the same period a year ago.
Darren Prokop explains why Positive Train Control – a positive safety measure for “Lower 48” railroads – doesn’t make sense for the Alaska Railroad.
U.S. carloads and intermodal units are down year to date from the same period in 2019.
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.
The rail equipment manufacturer and lessor has tapped a Caterpillar executive and Trinity board member to head the company.
Technology will have a key role, but how will shippers and labor benefit from the railroads’ high-tech initiatives, panel asks.
The Denver-based short line operator promotes from within for the new roles.
The bill would prohibit the transport of crude oil via rail if the Reid vapor pressure of the crude oil exceeds 9.5 pounds per square inch.
We gear up this week with a man charged on Thursday with shooting a truck driver on I-269 outside Memphis, Tennessee, after an in-cab video captured the suspected killer. Violence in Mexico from organized cartels has been surging in recent weeks, with the latest incident involving a 13-year-old American boy killed Jan. 3 near Nuevo […]
The Containerization & Intermodal Institute, EROAD and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock announce board appointments.
Two Norfolk Southern-owned or -operated rail facilities in West Virginia and Virginia have been impacted by closure and layoffs.
