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!
Australian bulk rail freight operator Aurizon (ASX: AZJ), which owns one of the world’s largest coal rail networks, reported a 15 percent decline in full year profits. Statutory earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) were down by 14 percent and revenues were down 7 percent.
U.S. rail carloads no longer appear to be following the lead of broader economic indicators. Why? Look to concerns about rail service reliability and trade uncertainty as answers.
A short cost-benefit analysis of the mining, recycling and use of iron and steel.
CSX and Canadian National’s partnership to create new intermodal service between Montreal and Toronto and the greater New York City area is a strategy to expand each other’s geographical reach and compete with the long-haul trucking market.
Railcar manufacturer Greenbrier will invest $16 million in an American Railcar Industries facility that produces tank cars.
Chinese tariffs are impacting American agriculture. But declines in exports to other countries are also hurting American agriculture.
U.S. railroad operations loaded 5.5 percent fewer carloads and intermodal units in July, and trade uncertainty could threaten to maintain that downward trend in rail volumes for the remainder of 2019.
The owner of BNSF and the investor behind Uber have more in common than it seems.
Genesee and Wyoming sees second-quarter operating income decline amid lower freight revenues from its Australian and European operations and flat year-over-year revenue from its North American operations.
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s (D-Oregon) new bill would require the railroads to supply information on crude volumes to emergency responders, and it would mandate that the railroads share crude-by-rail data annually.
North Asia revenues were down 8.5 percent, but EXPD improved productivity.
Jim Blaze writes about the recent history of intermodal rail service and what may happen in the next few years.
CARB is making $40 million available in the form of vouchers to reduce emissions. Eligible equipment includes everything from rubber-tired gantry cranes, to airport cargo loaders to truck and trailer refrigeration units.
Second quarter revenue for BNSF rose 0.3 percent despite lower volumes for agricultural products, consumer products and industrial products.
“If a shipper can share some of its production forecast information to railroads, railroads can plan better to meet that capacity. Conversely, if railroads can open up and show where their empty railcars are to the shipper so that the shipper has a bit more confidence that the right number of railcars are going to show up, then the shipper can more confidently choose rail.”
A renewed focus on building western gran network capacity helped Canadian Pacific reach all-time records for grain hauls in the 2018-2019 crop year.
The U.S.-China trade war has dropped trade volumes between the two countries to date in 2019. One result – Mexico is now the #1 trade partner of the U.S.
“I think we’re at a critical juncture. Six months from now I think we’ll be able to take a closer pulse to where things are.”
Ben Thrower examines the costs – in money, lost land and lost businesses – of the high-speed rail line in California.
Blackjewel’s bankruptcy reminds the broader industrial sector of the vulnerability of U.S. coal production overall, particularly so for western U.S. coal production.
