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!
American Made Chassis, an alliance of LB Steel and Integrated Industries, will build the chassis at an Illinois facility.
The board held a two-day hearing on reciprocal switching to help it determine how it should move forward.
The railway has issued a 72-hour notice to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference that it would lock out its members from working starting Sunday should labor agreement negotiations fail.
J.B. Hunt announced plans to expand its intermodal container count to 150,000 units in efforts “to substantially improve capacity” as part of a joint initiative with BNSF Railway.
CP and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference are still in talks over a new labor agreement. The union had said earlier this month that a strike could occur as early as Wednesday.
The second-generation carbon calculator helps customers and shippers gauge the carbon emissions their shipments produced.
Calls for the Canadian government to head off a strike at Canadian Pacific are coming from both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.
The North American rail system can learn a lot from the Europeans as both seek to incorporate battery and autonomous technologies into their freight rail networks.
The Surface Transportation Board will hold a two-day hearing on reciprocal switching next week. Here is some background on the issue.
SC Ports has seen record container volumes for 12 months straight.
Congress should fund the Surface Transportation Board, agreed panelists at a U.S. House hearing on the board’s funding reauthorization. But they disagree on what STB’s role should be in regulating the freight railroads.
Ocean liner Zim will include the Port of Boston in a China-Vietnam trade route.
Canadian Pacific is launching an international intermodal service between Mexico and Chicago, while state DOTs and Amtrak say a $31 million federal grant will add to existing passenger rail service and improve freight efficiency.
The cost curve is pointing downward in the production of green hydrogen, according to the head of a company that builds fuel cells.
Union Pacific will test B20 biodiesel and R55 renewable diesel on the locomotives that it acquired from Wabtec. The western U.S. railroad also said it reduced fuel consumption for three years in a row.
The new facility will reduce wait times and port congestion, according to Transport Canada.
The donation will help relief efforts in Poland.
Bill Ackman, Pershing Square founder and CEO, has been acquiring shares of Canadian Pacific, according to SEC filings and news reports.
Amtrak limits Acela and Northeast regional service.
A Norfolk Southern spokesman said Saturday he’s unclear whether two cavers will face trespassing charges after they were rescued early Wednesday in a cave located on railroad property at the base of Lookout Mountain in Tennessee.
