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!
J.B. Hunt Transport Services is hopeful that Western rail service will improve, allowing it to layer higher contract pricing across record intermodal volumes.
While railroads for years have talked about growth, the head of a major short line says it’s high time they embraced enterprisewide technology that’s reshaping the transportation industry.
At a leading rail conference, two railroad CEOs seek to define what service is all about.
The U.S. Class I railroads have turned the corner on service and resiliency and are poised for volume growth for the first time in years.
The Surface Transportation Board has taken Union Pacific to task for an ongoing lack of cooperation in a new decision on the railroad’s effort to construct a 6-mile rail line in Arizona’s Maricopa and Pinal counties.
Norfolk Southern will add a new member to its board of directors — the 14th overall and 13th independent director — under a “cooperation agreement” with shareholder Ancora Holdings, NS announced Thursday.
U.S. rail traffic continued its pattern for most of 2024 in the week ending Nov. 9, with strong intermodal growth leading to an overall gain compared to 2023.
Smaller railroads have received $2.6 billion for more than 220 projects since the inception of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grant program.
Market demand for a range of railcar types boosted revenue and deliveries for FreightCar America in the third quarter, and the builder revised its guidance upward for fiscal 2024.
Schneider National announced it will begin an intermodal service connecting Mexico and Texas with the U.S. Southeast next month.
BNSF Railway, CSX, and Union Pacific filed lawsuits against the Federal Railroad Administration today for its failure to act on a half dozen safety waiver requests that in some cases would allow railroads to scale back visual inspections in areas where they have deployed new high-tech train and track inspection systems.
The Transportation Security Administration has proposed a rule that would require cybersecurity risk management and reporting requirements for some freight and passenger railroads, as well as rail transportation.
Propelled by a big jump in intermodal traffic, weekly U.S. rail traffic had its biggest gain in seven weeks over the period ending Nov. 2.
As the Senate shifts toward the right, rail safety could have a different future, especially as the pending rail safety legislation did not secure enough votes to continue. But experts believe there are a few items that could be considered.
In the wake of the disastrous hazardous materials derailment last year in East Palestine, Ohio, the Federal Railroad Administration has repeatedly said it’s doing everything it can to improve rail safety.
BNSF Railway’s profits, revenue and volume all increased for the third quarter, thanks to surging intermodal and agricultural shipments.
A dispute over terminal automation will halt freight moving through the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and disrupt U.S.-bound intermodal rail shipments.
The number of truck transportation jobs in the U.S., as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is only slightly off from where it was a year ago.
Trinity Industries, which builds tank cars, covered hoppers and other freight cars saw lower revenue but higher profits on better railcar lease rates and improved efficiencies.
The builder of autoracks, intermodal stack cars and other railcars turned in a strong finish to fiscal 2024 despite challenges in the North American market.
