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!
Canadian railway CN and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have agreed to enter binding arbitration, putting to end a two-week strike over wages and benefits.
Data from June reflects how rail service challenges persist into summer. Meanwhile, higher headcount levels and macroeconomic uncertainties await the rails for the remainder of this year.
Congressmen back calls from fertilizer and agricultural products shippers to improve freight rail service, plus news about a new federal grant program to eliminate railroad crossings and updates on CN and Canadian Pacific.
The Transportation Trades Department wants Congress to modify the language to ensure freight railroads provide adequate service.
NS starts a new operating plan for intermodal; CN plans investments in Louisiana and Wisconsin; and MxV Rail agrees to share expertise with a UK group.
CN announced Monday it anticipates spending $355 million in 2022 to improve infrastructure in Illinois, Tennessee, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.
Both Democrats and Republicans representing the Pacific Northwest say the creation of a ship-to-rail container port at the existing Port of Coos Bay could boost West Coast port capacity by as much as 10%.
Amid soaring inflation and supply chain crunches, the United States’ key rail regulator has been mired in political antics.
The railway’s recent 2022 capital investment announcement brings the total to nearly CA$1.7 billion (US$1.32 billion) for six Canadian provinces.
BNSF’s brief embargo aims to reduce Southern California network congestion, which the railway partly blamed on bad weather.
Three commissioners of the Federal Maritime Commission contend a merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern would result in diverting U.S.-bound intermodal traffic to Canadian ports.
In the past two days, the Canadian railway has announced approximately CA$1.5 billion (US$1.16 billion) in capital investments for four provinces.
Union Pacific is seeking to extend its tests on wheel temperature detectors, but the Transportation Trades Department disagrees with the way UP wants to deploy the technology.
Foster Poultry Farms asked STB last week to order UP to improve rail service to two poultry processing plants in California. The board agreed to that request.
The investments will go toward network improvements as well as technology and decarbonization initiatives.
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers went on strike on Saturday.
Federal regulators are deciding at what level should the U.S. allow the transportation of liquefied natural gas by rail. Some environmental groups oppose LNG by rail because of concerns about transporting highly flammable material.
Canadian railway CN has received a notice from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that its members could go on strike this Saturday.
A number of East Coast ports saw volumes increase in May, and Savannah was one of them.
The National Mediation Board has ended mediation between the freight railroads and unions over a new labor agreement and is offering arbitration, both sides say.
