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!
The Surface Transportation Board has decided that it would review a proposed merger between CN and Kansas City Southern under newer, stricter merger rules. The board also denied for now CN’s request to form a voting trust, saying CN’s application is incomplete.
Union Pacific is investigating why a train hauling 28 cars derailed in Minnesota as emergency responders contend with a hydrochloric acid leak.
U.S. rail traffic slipped last week from the prior week, although they’re still up by double-digit percentage points year-over-year, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.
FreightWaves looks at five themes that ran throughout the earnings discussions of the Class I railroads.
CN revised its bid to acquire KCS; CP said it will not seek to counterbid.
Pioneer Lines, Kansas City Southern and Conrail have appointed new leaders.
“First Class I railroad in North America to issue green bonds,” Norfolk Southern shares plans for environmental projects.
Cass freight data released Wednesday shows shipments and expenditures surged again in April.
The U.S. Department of Transportation wants the Surface Transportation Board to take up Amtrak’s request asking to establish passenger service between Mobile and New Orleans.
Rivals Canadian Pacific and CN separately submit more statements of support to the Surface Transportation Board in a bid to show which Canadian railway is best suited to merge with Kansas City Southern.
Freight car and rail parts manufacturer National Steel Car is extending a suspension of operations at its facility Hamilton, Ontario, amid a local order and COVID-19 cases at the facility.
Tremelle Sykes allegedly filed false reports covering railyard companies in Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland, Cleburne, Gunter and Saginaw, Texas.
The Surface Transportation Board has approved the voting trust that Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern plan to make as part of the merger process between the two companies.
By either the standard of seasonal or not seasonal jobs, gains in employment are slow given the demand for drivers.
A market recovery is underway for railcar lessors and equipment manufacturers, but the market also has a ways to go before it bounces back completely, according to industry observations.
Steel and chemicals were among the commodities that showed volume strength in April, according to the Association of American Railroads. North American intermodal volumes grew 10.5% in the first quarter, said the Intermodal Association of North America.
Anticipated growth for intermodal will help to support Hub Group’s investments for that sector in 2021.
Billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, the largest shareholder of Canadian railway CN, is giving 14.1 million shares of the company to soon-to-be ex-wife Melinda Gates.
Union Pacific to open an intermodal terminal in Southern California, Port of South Louisiana completes rail yard, plus two appointments: Michael McCarthy to become SMBC Rail Services president and CEO, and Karen Carriere joins Transportation Technology Center Inc. as executive director of technical services.
Amtrak must follow new on-time performance metrics starting July 1. Democratic congressional leaders and the Surface Transportation Board are looking at different ways to help Amtrak reach that goal. Amtrak and the freight railroads share track in certain U.S. regions.
