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!
Supply chain businesses ranging from rail to trucking to warehousing saw layoffs and bankruptcies throughout April, as tariffs and other economic factors slam freight markets.
The Surface Transportation Board will decide whether Union Pacific is blocking rival BNSF from accessing a Utah logistics park.
A new shortline railroad helped mark the ribbon-cutting on a multimodal development at Indiana’s largest port.
With Chinese imports tanking and fewer calls expected at West Coast ports, many empty containers won’t have a way back to Asia.
Union Pacific has brought a rare trackage rights dispute with BNSF to the Surface Transportation Board.
Railcar owner GATX won’t have to help pay the $600 million settlement related to the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, a jury decided.
Falling fuel surcharge revenue offset record freight revenue for Class I railroad Union Pacific in the first quarter.
Union Pacific said first-quarter earnings were flat as the railroad’s volume gains were offset by the mix of freight on its network.
Growth in its freight and transit business segments powered higher first-quarter revenue and earnings at rail technology company Wabtec.
Flat revenue and a “vicious winter” didn’t keep Norfolk Southern from posting improved first-quarter profits.
Norfolk Southern shook off severe winter weather in the first three months of the year to post improved operating income in the first quarter.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a CSX appeal regarding an antitrust suit over access to Norfolk International Terminals.
Congestion hurt volumes and revenue in CSX’s first quarter.
Parallel Systems says its autonomous electric railcars will begin testing on two Georgia railroads this month.
A bipartisan bill in Congress would tackle the burgeoning problem of rail cargo theft.
Shortline railroads are precisely the business partners that major railroads need to stanch a decline in the carload business, a consultant says.
Rail traffic in the U.S. rose 11.2% for the week that ended Saturday – the sixth straight increase.
The upgrade of a critical tax credit and federal grants were in focus at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association conference.
The strength in ocean bookings today will not translate into domestic freight volumes until May at the earliest.
Patricks Fuchs, President Trump’s pick to lead the Surface Transportation Board, wants to speed up decision-making to help railroads grow their business.
