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!
Rail’s lower shipping costs and reduced carbon emissions often come at the expense of reliability and service. CSX is committed to changing that.
Norfolk Southern and BNSF Railway have reached tentative five-year contract agreements with additional unions four months before the opening round of national collective bargaining.
Canadian Teamsters filed four separate challenges Thursday in the Canadian Federal Court of Appeal challenging the labor minister’s order for binding arbitration and the Canada Industrial Relations Board decision to stop the lockout and work stoppage.
A New York-based venture capital firm and European transport specialist are vying to acquire Schenker, the logistics unit of German national railway Deutsche Bahn, which could shake up the market for logistics services in the U.S.
Intermodal outpaced most U.S. rail carload shipments as shippers raced to get end-of-year retail merchandise through import gateways ahead of disruptions in the global supply chain.
Despite peak season stress, supply chain bottlenecks failed to materialize during the recovery from the brief lockout of union employees by CN and CPKC.
Minnesota’s federally mandated State Freight Plan identifies key areas for investment in the statewide transportation system to ensure goods movement that is safe, efficient and sustainable.
The railroads got what they wanted in Canada’s contract dispute: binding arbitration.
Norfolk Southern’s final RoadRailer train left Detroit early Sunday morning for the 715-mile run to Kansas City, Missouri.
It could take the two largest Canadian railroads a week or more to recover from the effects of a shutdown that briefly stalled billions in freight including transborder trade with the United States.
The union says it will appeal ruling to federal court.
Eastern railroad CSX said it had come to tentative agreements with seven more unions ahead of scheduled collective bargaining, just days after it announced five early deals with unionized workers.
The agreements were announced just days after CSX completed early deals with its unions as labor flexes its newfound strength with employers following the pandemic.
The Port of Los Angeles has named Erica M. Calhoun deputy executive director overseeing the city of Los Angeles Harbor Department’s Administrative Bureau.
Canadian National Railway announced it has received a 72-hour strike notice from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which would launch a strike against the railroad at 10 a.m. ET on Monday.
As eastbound import traffic continues to grow, Union Pacific announced surcharges for its premium EMP and UMAX services out of the Southern California gateway.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is returning to work at Canadian National Railway, but the union said the work stoppage continues at Canadian Pacific Kansas City pending an order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
Startup Intramotev, which converts conventional freight cars to battery-electric, self-propelled vehicles, has debuted an autonomous double-stack car.
Canada’s freight rail work stoppage — the first to shut down both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City simultaneously — is over.
Natron Energy plans to build the first U.S. sodium ion battery plant, thanks to investment by the state-owned rail corridor and other public/private economic development organizations.
