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!
Alabama’s $100 million Montgomery inland container terminal will link central Alabama shippers to the Port of Mobile via CSX rail.
The Surface Transportation Board rejected opponents’ attempts to quickly halt the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger.
The Los Angeles-to-Chicago train carried mixed freight when a container caught fire during a burglary. Riverside and Colton firefighters extinguished the blaze before BNSF Police took over the investigation.
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena is critical of rival railroads’ plans to request trackage rights over a combined UP-Norfolk Southern system. “The idea to give up tracks of your railroad for no reason at all just goes against the fundamental principle of how … business should work,” Vena told an investor conference. Last week BNSF […]
Freight on U.S. railroads saw a rare down week but still maintained a healthy lead ahead of 2025 volumes.
Norfolk Southern says intermodal’s next growth phase will depend on making rail as simple, predictable and accountable as trucking through stronger terminal performance and a coast-to-coast merger.
Growing delays for rail-bound boxes reflect continuing pressure on intermodal capacity.
BNSF, CPKC and CSX want broad operating rights over a merged UP-NS network.
SC Ports and Norfolk Southern launched daily intermodal rail service between Charleston and Huntsville, expanding the port’s inland reach.
Freight on U.S. railroads staged a late summer surge led by grain and metallic ores.
More than 100 House Democrats urged the Surface Transportation Board to prioritize rail jobs in its review of the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger.
Intermodal traffic improved by more than double the percentage of carload shipments in the latest AAR data.
Amid explosive development of data centers, a new plan by the Department of Transportation would leverage existing rail and road infrastructure to route power, water and other utilities.
The Greenbrier Companies will transition to new executive leadership in January, with Chief Executive and President Lorie Tekorius set to retire following the company’s 2027 annual shareholders meeting. Brian Comstock, Greenbrier’s executive vice president and president of The Americas, will immediately become president and CEO. The Lake Oswego, Ore.-based railcar manufacturer and freight-transportation services provider […]
Would-be participants have until the end of September to make a formal filing in the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger review.
Vice President Vance calls for probe into Biden handling of Ohio derailment.
Rail freight posts another solid week led by crude by rail, met ore
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern insist their merger application meets regulatory thresholds and urge the STB to proceed with the review.
Norfolk Southern and Wabtec to modernize propulsion systems for dozens of older locomotives.
Deputies traveling toward Ludlow found two abandoned vehicles matching descriptions from the rail investigation. BNSF police confirmed boxes inside came from a boxcar.
