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!
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.
Trucking industry and logistics leaders said the lockout by Canada’s two largest railroads Thursday could create capacity crunches and rate spikes across the freight industry.
CN and CPKC early Thursday locked out 9,300 union employees, bringing trains to a halt in a move that could disrupt supply chains throughout North America.
The industries to be most heavily impacted are those in bulk commodities, such as grain, potash and metallurgical coal. In addition, several intermodal corridors will be heavily impacted including long-haul international intermodal lanes, cross-border lanes. US intermodal volume is seeing a boost, but that could lead to congestion.
CN said it received no response from Teamsters after making a final contract offer in a bid to avoid service disruption.
Eastern U.S. railroad operator CSX has reached a deal with several of its unions well before a deadline.
While contract talks between Canadian National, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and union employees continue, a rail shutdown would reverberate through the supply chain connecting Canada and the U.S.
Amid lockout and strike notices, contract bargaining continues as Ottawa makes a push for both sides to come together on a new rail labor contract.
A federal appeals court on Tuesday tossed out the Surface Transportation Board’s streamlined process for resolving rate disputes between shippers and railroads.
