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!
Intermodal shipments led U.S. rail freight lower in the latest weekly data but traffic remains higher year-to-date.
Union Pacific has set a specific date to submit its application to federal regulators for its merger with Norfolk Southern.
CSX’s new CEO won’t be flying the company jet.
The Federal Railroad Administration approved a waiver to allow for the expanded use of automatic track inspection technology.
Chassis provider TRAC has had its debt rating cut by Moody’s.
As an historic merger is set to reshape the U.S. supply chain, railroads say data proves they are the engine that powers the domestic economy.
The railroads had expected to file their formal merger application with the Surface Transportation Board this week.
U.S. ports urge strict evaluation by Surface Transportation Board of proposed transcontinental rail merger, cautioning on impact to the supply chain and economy.
Freight on U.S. railroads year-to-date stayed ahead of 2024 levels even as intermodal and carload shipments were weaker in the latest weekly data.
Federal regulators approved the sale of regional line Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to Fortress Investment Group.
A new partnership will develop mobile carbon capture for the harbor railroad serving the busiest U.S. port complex.
Collaboration has been driving recent success for U.S. railroads, according to BNSF, and controversial plans for a transcontinental merger are unlikely to benefit shippers, or the rail industry.
Shares of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern rise as the railroads count down the days until filing their formal merger application with federal regulators.
A mega-merger of railroads would have to reverse a slow years-long market for freight to produce growth touted by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, an industry panel said.
The top law enforcement officers from three states urged federal regulators to approve the $85 billion Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern railroad merger.
The delayed September jobs report showed truck transportation jobs declining from a month earlier.
Rail freight commodities and intermodal shipments were lower in the latest week’s data but remained ahead of 2024 for the year.
Republican legislators in a letter to federal regulators warn that the merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern could create a rail colossus and with it raise prices and hinder U.S. competitiveness.
The top law enforcement officers for nine states say the merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern threatens national security – and President Trump’s plans for American prosperity.
Declining container volumes are aiding port and terminal operations, but trucking issues could impact the supply chain in 2026, a new report finds.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern took the first official step in their proposed merger as shareholders approved the transcontinental tie-up.
Higher shipments of grain and nonmetallic minerals failed to offset intermodal’s decline, according to the Association of American Railroads.
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena refutes BNSF’s claim that its merger with Norfolk Southern would lead to the elimination of hundreds of intermodal lanes.
Rail freight is mirroring the uneven U.S. economic outlook, according to the latest analysis from the Association of American Railroads.
Union Pacific wins more union support for Norfolk Southern merger with career job guarantees for NCFO train crew members.
Nominees who will help judge the fate of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger told a Senate hearing they won’t let politics influence their decisions.
A decline in intermodal shipments led U.S. railfreight volumes lower in the latest week data.
TRAC Intermodal has reached an agreement with Florida East Coast Railway to stage domestic chassis directly on FEC terminals.
Florida East Coast Railway helped owner Grupo Mexico’s transportation division increase third-quarter operating income on higher revenue despite flat freight volumes.
BNSF Railway revenue and profits saw sequential gains for the third quarter and nine months.
U.S. rail traffic remained below 2024 levels for the third consecutive week and the sixth time in eight weeks, with both carload and intermodal traffic experiencing declines.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have asked the Surface Transportation Board to expedite the review of their proposed transcontinental merger.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City profits increased in the third quarter on higher freight volume and revenue despite economic uncertainty and trade tensions.
Year-over-year rail volume growth is fading.
A heavy-duty truck hauling rocks collided with an Amtrak passenger train carrying 129 people near San Antonio on Tuesday.
New CSX chief Steve Angel has named new leadership of the railroad’s finance and commercial units.
The State of Freight for October found some reasons to be bullish.
GE Appliances has signed on to the new Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern domestic intermodal route serving key markets via west and southwest ports.
Union Pacific has made a donation to help fund President Trump’s White House ballroom, ostensibly to help win regulatory approval of its $85 billion merger with Norfolk Southern.
The Surface Transportation Board has added another executive to its industry advisory council.
Rail carloads were evenly split among winners and losers as intermodal traffic led rail freight lower in the latest week.
Norfolk Southern’s Q3 revenue fell despite efficiency, service and safety gains, as well as increased competition from BNSF and CSX.
Norfolk Southern Corp. said third quarter income fell on revenue that was slightly higher than the 2024 period.
Union Pacific’s Q3 profits rose on improved pricing, record workforce productivity and fuel consumption.
Union Pacific third quarter profit beat estimates despite costs related to its proposed merger with Norfolk Southern.
Wabtec reported stronger third quarter earnings with revenue and profit growth across freight and transit segments.
Cleveland-Cliffs will close its idle Steelton, Pa., facility permanently, leaving just two U.S. producers of steel rail for track.
Canadian National named Patrick Whitehead COO and Janet Drysdale CCO, ending a split operations model; former co-leader Derek Taylor departed.
The American Chemistry Council has serious concerns about the impact to its members’ business.
CSX third quarter were dragged down by declining coal shipments that outweighed higher intermodal traffic.
CSX reported third quarter adjusted net earnings of $818 million, or $0.44 per share, beating forecasts of $0.42 for the eastern railroad operator.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have set a date for shareholders to vote on their historic $85 billion merger proposal.
Rail freight trended lower in the latest weekly data from the Association of American Railroads.
While lower imports ease traffic at intermodal terminals, the ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index cautions the silver linings hide gathering clouds.
Canadian National Railway (CN) and Congebec have announced a new partnership to expand cold chain logistics across North America, unveiling plans to build a state-of-the-art temperature-controlled facility within CN’s Calgary Logistics Park. The project aims to bridge a long-standing gap between rail and cold storage, creating a more efficient and sustainable network for temperature-sensitive goods. […]
Intermodal traffic and carload freight were higher for a second consecutive week, according to the Association of American Railroads.
The owner of a popular online sneaker resale business was arrested for allegedly buying $500,000 worth of merchandise stolen from a cargo train.
New Federal Railroad Administration chief is a former Pan Am Railways president and fifth-generation railroader.
A regional railroad wants to redevelop freight and passenger services in an eastern Pennsylvania county.
The latest AAR analysis offers a cautious outlook after September rail volumes reflect the uneven pace of the U.S. economy.
Rail freight posted its third-biggest drop this year as carload and intermodal shipments declined.
Former Surface Transportation Board member Robert Primus on Wednesday sued President Trump, the rail board and its chairman, challenging his firing by Trump in August.
BNSF Railway states that Union Pacific’s deal to acquire Norfolk Southern will hurt rail competition, increase rates, reduce service, and likely lead to operational issues.
CSX named Steve Angel as CEO, succeeding former Ford executive Joe Hinrichs as leader of the eastern railroad.
With a new CEO, Ancora Holdings says CSX is now positioned to seek out a merger of its own.
Surface Transportation Board wants longer timeline to review proposed tie-up that would create first transcontinental railroad.
CSX has officially opened the Howard Street Tunnel after a clearance project that will boost container volume at the Port of Baltimore.
Intermodal containers and trailers led a down week for U.S. rail freight, according to AAR data.
History suggests a trade of job guarantees for union support of a UP-NS merger might not be all it seems.
The biggest rail union backs a transcontinental merger proposal after winning job protections from UP, NS.
No injuries were reported after a natural gas pipeline exploded in southeast Wyoming, temporarily blocking one of Union Pacific’s busiest rail routes.
CSX’s Blue Ridge Subdivision, damaged by Hurricane Helene, hosts its first revenue freight train after reconstruction.
President Donald Trump said that the proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern forming the first U.S. transcontinental railroad “sounds good to me.”
Utah’s first new short line railroad in more than a century opened Wednesday west of Salt Lake City.
Chemical and automotive shipments led gainers as U.S. rail freight remained ahead of 2024 traffic.
Short line railroad operator Watco will deploy the battery-electric railcars manufactured by technology startup Intramotev.
The Ports of Los Angeles-Long Beach managed near-record cargo volumes while maintaining fluidity across marine terminals, as dwell times for truck and rail-bound containers fell in August.
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.
BNSF Railway and CSX said they will partner on seamless coast-to-coast rail service, just weeks after Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern proposed their own transcontinental merger.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick backed Union Pacific’s proposed $72 billion takeover of Norfolk Southern, saying it will create more efficient transcontinental rail freight transportation.
Weekly rail freight finished short of 2024 levels in the latest week, according to the Association of American Railroads.
