Class I railroads

Union Pacific has brought a rare trackage rights dispute with BNSF to the Surface Transportation Board.

Rail traffic in the U.S. rose 11.2% for the week that ended Saturday – the sixth straight increase.

The Surface Transportation Board will examine a proposal by Norfolk Southern for formal control of Virginia terminal railroad Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line.

Norfolk Southern’s Stefan Loeb discusses rail growth strategies at FreightWaves’ Future of Supply Chain event.

What are stakeholders in the freight rail space keeping an eye on in 2024? Here’s a starter list.

The Federal Railroad Administration submitted its proposed rulemaking on train crew staffing to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget for review.

Intermodal rail might still face pressure from a loose truck market in 2024, but intermodal rail providers could see volumes grow longer term if they keep service humming, according to Breakthrough’s chief economist.

The U.S. freight rail industry got schooled in 2023 on issues including the three R’s: rail safety, reciprocal switching and relationships.

Executives with CSX, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern at recent investor conferences listed some of the ways they expect to improve rail service.

After serving one five-year term on the Surface Transportation Board, Chairman Marty Oberman has decided against seeking reappointment.

Dozens of industry stakeholders, from individual Class I railroads to multiple shipper groups to the trade unions, offered their input on what’s wrong and what’s right about the Surface Transportation Board’s proposed rulemaking on reciprocal switching.

A look at U.S. Class I rail employment data shows that head count for train and engine crews grew when comparing averages in 2023 with 2020 — but employment totals for those maintaining equipment and stores appeared to fall.

Higher labor expenses, reduced volumes and regulatory uncertainty were among the third quarter’s headwinds for railroads, according to Susquehanna transportation analyst Bascome Majors.

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin and West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito want the Surface Transportation Board to “move swiftly” on reciprocal switching.

After years of wrangling over the issue, the Surface Transportation Board has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on reciprocal switching that will seek to define the service parameters where a switching action could take place.

An anticipated decrease in grain exports and increase in domestic biofuels production could change U.S. freight railroads’ capacity needs in the coming years.

SMART-TD is telling freight train conductors and conductor trainees to take charge of their safety since the programs offered by railroads are lacking. This is following the recent deaths of two conductor trainees.

The Federal Railroad Administration wants more data on train lengths so that the agency can better assess what impact, if any, longer trains might have on operations.

Some families of victims of deadly railway accidents say railway police are torn between seeking the truth and protecting the company name. Railroads say safeguards are in place.

Calls to remove Surface Transportation Board Chairman Marty Oberman are misguided in light of regulatory efforts that Oberman and the current board have undertaken, labor groups tell President Joe Biden.

The Association of American Railroads has outlined eight ways that the freight rail industry and the federal government can work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Federal Railroad Administration is planning to expand its assessment of safety culture to include all of the Class I railroads, the agency’s head said recently.

Surface Transportation Board Chair Marty Oberman at a national rail shippers conference urged the railroads to increase their employee levels as a way to improve rail service.

The unions blast the Class I railroads’ public statements on the railroads’ efforts to bolster employee head count in a filing to the Surface Transportation Board.

Rail service may have improved but that shouldn’t relieve the Surface Transportation Board from pursuing shipper-friendly regulatory reforms, shippers say.

The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO wants Congress to pass a rail safety bill that addresses train crew sizes, train lengths and inspection times.

A hearing held by the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on freight rail supply chain challenges focused on a range of topics.

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the Railway Safety Act, sending the bill to the Senate floor for a vote. But will it have smooth sailing?

Union Pacific, BNSF and Norfolk Southern need to go further in improving rail service, according to a Surface Transportation Board decision requiring the railroads to submit service performance reports.

FreightWaves discussed with Railroad Workers United organizer Ron Kaminkow what craft union employees need from the railroads to improve morale.

FRA has issued a safety advisory asking freight railroads to be aware of the operational adjustments that must be made when they deploy longer trains.

Unions representing locomotive engineers and train conductors are still working through some sticking points with railroads regarding work schedules, sources told FreightWaves.

A law firm specializing in stockholder rights wants Norfolk Southern investors to join a class-action lawsuit over precision scheduled railroading. The firm says certain PSR practices compromised safety and depressed NS stock prices.

Two congressional representatives from Ohio have introduced a rail safety bill that they say would build off of NTSB’s findings into the cause of the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern train.

Norfolk Southern notified federal officials about loose wheels, and the Association of American Railroads put out an advisory to halt the use of rail cars that might have this issue.

The Association of American Railroads has laid out initiatives the freight rail industry expects to take up to boost safety amid calls from federal officials in the wake of the Feb. 3 Ohio train derailment.

“While the Railway Safety Act of 2023 has potential, railroad workers are concerned with what is glaringly left out of the bill and what aspects are left to the DOT and FRA to draft, implement, and administer,” said Matt Weaver of Railroad Workers United.

The Federal Railroad Administration collects a lot of data related to rail safety. What does that research show when it comes to the performance of the Class I railroads?

All seven Class I railroads have agreed to participate in a federal program in which workers can anonymously provide tips on operational conditions. The participation will complement existing internal programs at the railroads, says the Association of American Railroads.

The Environmental Protection Agency has given Norfolk Southern a new order as the Ohio derailment cleanup transitions to longer-term remediation, and the U.S. Department of Transportation has given the railroads a list of what safety actions they should undertake.

East Palestine residents and rail unions face an uncertain future in the aftermath of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment.

A rail shipper analyzed SEC filings and found four institutional investors own about 20% of three Class I railroads and classify themselves as passive.

Union calls for changes in sick leave policies came to a head this week between a press conference with Sen. Bernie Sanders and a union-adopted resolution calling for sick leave.

New sick leave policies are in place at CSX for maintenance-of-way employees and railway carmen.

The railroads must work with other supply chain stakeholders and even consider sharing infrastructure in order to maintain an integral role within the broader freight transportation network, experts said at the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting.

An active Surface Transportation Board and ongoing issues to fully restore rail network capacity are among the issues that industry stakeholders are eyeing in the new year.

Rail service, an active Surface Transportation Board and continued M&A activity were among 2022’s news highlights.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s report on precision scheduled railroading serves as a broad overview of how the freight rail industry has changed over the past decade.

The number of employees working for the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads rose 4.4% year over year in November. But some of the employment data submitted to the board should be provided in a more user-friendly way, an attorney representing several unions said.

The STB has rendered decisions on two rules aimed at helping the railroads and shippers resolve small rate disputes.

The Federal Railroad Administration heard starkly different opinions from some railroads and unions about whether the agency should mandate freight train crews of at least two people.

Shippers testified before the Surface Transportation Board on Tuesday about how embargoes affect their operations.

The unions and the freight railroads must repair their relationship and collaborate on improving service if the industry wants to thrive and take more market share, observers told FreightWaves.

Stakeholders are processing their responses to federal actions this week to avert a potential economy-crippling rail strike.

In a letter sent Monday to legislative leaders, trade groups warn of a financial disaster should a railroad strike occur on Dec. 9.

Is a rail strike imminent? Here are five things that might help you understand how we got here.

The American Chemistry Council says a rail strike lasting a month or longer could significantly damage the U.S. economy.

The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers’ refusal to ratify the latest deal sends the rail union back to the bargaining table.

TTD, a union coalition affiliated with the AFL-CIO, is asking Congress for regulation that would hold freight railroads to maintain sufficient infrastructure investments and workforce levels.

Both the railroads and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employes Division say the extension will help all parties make the best decision on how to proceed with the outstanding tentative labor agreements.

The rail division of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will ratify the latest tentative labor agreement between itself and the freight railroads.

FreightWaves chats with a representative of the rail division of the International Association of Machinists about the labor agreement talks with the freight railroads.

Federal board wants four Class I railroads to continue submitting rail service data that shows how service is improving.

Concerns that not all of the unions will agree to ratify their labor agreements have caused rail shippers and other transportation industry stakeholders to push President Joe Biden to act.

BRS follows the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, which earlier this month rejected the tentative labor agreement.

The National Carriers’ Conference Committee signaled that freight railroads will reject the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division’s counteroffer on a new labor deal.

Freight and passenger rail carriers must develop actionable items to prevent a cyberattack from crippling the rail network, according to a new TSA security directive.

Promoting competition, Laredo’s rail conversion potential and passenger rail in Louisiana were among the themes explored in the second half of the seven-day hearing proceeding on the CP-KCS merger.

The National Conference of Firemen & Oilers voted by a nearly 59% margin to approve its labor agreement with the freight railroads.

A labor agreement with U.S. freight railroads passed the latest ratification test with members of the mechanical and engineering division of SMART-TD voting to accept the contract.

Labor negotiations and rail service issues dominated an otherwise quiet third quarter.

American Train Dispatchers Association members have approved the new labor contract with freight railroads by a 64% majority vote.

Rail workers with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have voted to ratify the union’s labor agreement with U.S. Class I railroads.

Just because a labor agreement is in sight between the railroads and the unions, that doesn’t mean rail service will instantly improve, shippers told FreightWaves.

The outlook for trucking companies buying new or used Class 8 trucks can best be described like a 2005 Facebook relationship status — “It’s complicated.” 

Ahead of a strike that could occur after midnight Friday, U.S. freight railroads are winding down operations and the White House is preparing contingency plans.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, whose ranks total nearly 5,000 members, has voted to reject the tentative labor agreement between it and the Class I railroads. But two unions voted to ratify their agreements.

Three more railroad unions have reached tentative agreements with Class I railroads on new labor contracts.

Uncertainties over whether union members will go on strike next Friday are causing the U.S. Class I railroads to embargo certain shipments and tell customers to expect delays.

The CEOs of Union Pacific, CSX and Norfolk Southern anticipate rail volumes to grow amid service improvements and despite macroeconomic uncertainties, according to their comments at an investor conference this week.

Two more unions, whose membership totals about 6,000 freight rail employees, have tentatively agreed to a new labor contract that calls for substantial wage increases.

Peak harvest season begins in the U.S. soon, and grain shippers are hoping rail service will be able to meet market demand.

Two of the larger unions, BLET and SMART-TD, were unable to reach a tentative labor agreement last week. But both “remain committed” to reaching one.

Three railroad unions plan to send their members a tentative labor agreement for ratification. However, there are still nine unions that have yet to strike a deal.

Railroad union representatives have been reticent publicly about how they plan to proceed with contract talks following last week’s recommendations from an independent board.

The Surface Transportation Board wants to know how the seven Class I railroads expect to meet demand for rail service during the harvest season running from September into the new year.

The presidential emergency board is charged with examining the sticking points in the stalled contract negotiations between U.S. freight railroads and their unions.

Precision scheduled railroading again took center stage during a roundtable concerning rail service.

FreightWaves chats with international trade attorney Ashley Craig about what the troubles in labor talks for both rail and maritime mean for the broader supply chain.

While headcount for train and engine employees is up for the first six months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, the freight rail headcount across all categories hasn’t risen.

President Joe Biden on Friday signed an executive order calling for a three-person board to investigate the issues behind the contract discord between the railroads and unions.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants President Biden to intervene in the ongoing rail labor dispute to avoid service disruptions.

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.

Amid soaring inflation and supply chain crunches, the United States’ key rail regulator has been mired in political antics.

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.

The Surface Transportation Board wants BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific to submit additional information on their rail service recovery plans after finding that the initial plan submissions “were perfunctory” and lacked detail.

The Federal Railroad Administration is now requiring the Class I railroads, Amtrak and commuter railroads to submit fatigue risk management plans annually to the agency.

AskWaves defines what the common carrier obligation is and why the concept has garnered attention lately.

U.S. freight railroads and a rail union disagree over what’s the best way to deploy enhanced track geometry inspections.