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!
FreightWaves market expert Mike Baudendistel chats with Norfolk Southern’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Alan Shaw about intermodal challenges and opportunities confronting NS and other Class I railroads.
Elise Gosch, assistant VP of intermodal sales at Union Pacific, shares strategies the company has implemented throughout the pandemic to address shifting customer needs.
Virginia’s competitive advantages: a naturally deep harbor, semi-automated terminals and its own, newer chassis pool.
The Surface Transportation Board rejected CN’s application to establish a voting trust, which would be used as part of the process to acquire Kansas City Southern.
As fall harvest nears, grain shippers and freight railroads are taking steps to ensure network fluidity for export-bound grain trains in and out of the Pacific Northwest.
Will Hurricane Ida impact freight contracts? Will carriers move from shippers’ contracted freight to the spot market?
Federal action addressing matters of concern in the rail industry, particularly regarding safety, seem to be an afterthought.
Canadian Pacific, Norfolk Southern and the broader freight rail industry describe how they plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Class I railroads are keeping an eye on Hurricane Ida as the storm is expected to make landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast this weekend.
U.S. rail terminals that handle imports are still grappling with chassis shortages, although efforts are being made to address overflow at the terminals.
Railcar manufacturer Greenbrier’s Q4 orders total over $530 million, plus U.S. weekly rail volumes dip on an intermodal traffic decline.
The facility at CP’s Bensenville, Illinois, rail yard, which is already in operation, will support the construction industry’s supply chain.
Both Canada and the U.S. have provisions that allow for reciprocal switching, or interswitching. But rail shippers’ ability to participate in the program differs in the two countries.
Progress Rail will use Union Pacific locomotives that are capable of handling a biodiesel blend of 20%.
As this year’s peak season gets underway, dislocations in the supply chain are increasing. However, this is really nothing new as the industry has been in peak mode for a year.
The past week in social media images features a menacing wildfire in California, tropical storm deluges, a train hitting a tractor-trailer and more.
KCS’ board of directors confirmed plans to postpone the shareholder vote on the CN-KCS merger agreement until after the Surface Transportation Board renders a decision on CN’s proposed voting trust.
News about BNSF, Kansas City Southern, Trinity Industries and TTCI.
Container volumes rose 25% at the Port of Savannah, while auto and machinery units grew 39% at Brunswick.
Although Canadian grain shippers anticipate lower grain harvest volumes for the 2021-2022 crop year, adequate rail service remains a chief concern.
