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!
A coalition of rail shippers warns regulators that the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger will hurt service and raise costs.
CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs states that railroads’ focus on profit margins over growth has led to stagnant traffic levels.
Following similar interline moves by competing railroads, merger partners Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have introduced an array of new domestic intermodal services.
China’s move to cut U.S. soybean purchases in favor of South America could trigger widespread job losses and strain supply chains.
Union Pacific CEO in Oval Office visit urged President Trump to deploy National Guard troops in Memphis and St. Louis.
Forest products and automotive shipments led a narrow slate of winners amid overall lower U.S. rail freight in the latest week’s data.
CN and CSX advocate cooperation over mergers to shift freight from highway to rail, citing seamless service and efficiency.
President Trump has nominated longtime rail industry consultant Richard Kloster to the Surface Transportation Board.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern argue rival interline alliances prove their proposed merger enhances railroad competition.
The Trump administration is getting conflicting advice on how to fit railroad automation into the country’s long-term transportation strategy.
Canadian National and CSX are collaborating on direct intermodal service from the West Coast of Canada to the heart of the U.S. Mid-south region.
Transportation and Warehousing jobs see a slight rise in the latest BLS revision.
The Cancún Multimodal Terminal will anchor freight operations on the Mayan Train and link to Mexico’s interoceanic trade corridor.
The Port of Long Beach has released a draft environmental report for its transformative Pier B on-dock rail expansion project.
Freight moving by rail in the U.S. turned in modest improvement in the latest weekly data.
The Surface Transportation Board has approved the acquisition of 420-mile regional Great Lakes Central Railroad by Watco.
President Trump on Tuesday fired Surface Transportation Board member Robert E. Primus, the board’s lone member to oppose the CP-KCS merger in 2023.
Weaker intermodal traffic offset narrow gains in carload freight in the latest Association of American Railroads data.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO Keith Creel again said his company would pursue alliances rather than near-term consolidation.
Investor Warren Buffett said BNSF parent Berkshire Hathaway won’t bid for Norfolk Southern or CSX.
