Union Pacific Railroad

Coronavirus pandemic and economic uncertainty weigh on UP’s second-quarter earnings.

The Nebraska Public Service Commission is preparing to file a complaint against BNSF, Union Pacific and Nebraska Central over blocked highway-rail grade crossings in Grand Island.

With no end in sight to the pandemic in North America, BMWED says railroads should enhance worker safety.

Border agents found 48 stowaways attempting to enter the U.S. illegally at rail crossings at the El Paso, Texas, port of entry.

Class 1 railroads reiterate that some measures they took to cut costs because of the coronavirus could become permanent.

With the second half of the year just weeks away, Class I rail executives are eyeing at least some recovery in rail volumes as shelter-in-place restrictions ease.

The railroad’s deployment of precision scheduled railroading resulted in faster and longer trains and reduced car sorting, according to the company’s recent sustainability report.

Despite U.S. rail traffic remaining sharply lower on a year-over-year basis, rail volumes for commodities such as grain and motor vehicles and parts helped to push volumes higher on a week-to-week basis.

Union Pacific shutters Cold Connect, citing low freight rates and consumers purchasing shelf-stable items instead of fresh produce amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Like all industries, the coronavirus has impacted railroads. What should they be doing to gain market share and better serve their customers?

The western U.S. railroad can deploy additional cost reduction measures, but how much cost savings it can realize from those measures will depend on how much rail volumes fall in the second quarter.

Despite lower revenues, the western U.S. railroad saw its first-quarter net income increase as the company trimmed quarterly expenses by 10%.

The railroads say the coronavirus pandemic could influence their financial results in 2020, but how deep that impact will be will depend on how long the pandemic lasts.

Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific each have employees who have contracted the virus, and they and those around them are in self-quarantine.

The three Class I railroads have set or will set targets as part of their involvement in a global initiative.

Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific say they have contingency plans should the coronavirus threaten to disrupt operations.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen wants freight and passenger railroads to temporarily alter their sick leave policies and provide stronger sanitizing materials.

Uncertainty is still an underlying theme facing North American freight railroads.

Union Pacific opens lanes, while Norfolk Southern talks lane opportunities to take market share from trucks.

The railroad eyes slight volume growth in 2020 amid plans for longer trains and reduced headcount.

Net income falls in the fourth quarter amid a decline in operating revenue and a decrease in rail volumes.

Jim Blaze profiles TTX, a company that is essential to the railroad industry.

Market Expert Michael Baudendistel writes about rail intermodal volume is lower for the long-term, or can it be more competitive with trucking.

The next step is achieving full interoperability with other railroads.

The railroad will consolidate business segments to three groups from four to better adapt to market conditions.

Rail executives discussed short-term strategies for growing rail volumes amid expectations that volumes won’t pick up until well into 2020.

Jim Blaze writes about the Alameda Corridor in Los Angeles, that takes some of the freight from the harbor to distribution centers. Is it still economically viable?

The Class I railroads furlough workers in times of lower volumes but unions think the cuts have been too deep as a result of precision scheduled railroading.

Rationalizing additional network assets is still a possibility in 2020.

Excerpt: The companies promote and assign new roles to longstanding employees.

Companies file a flurry of lawsuits against the big four U.S. Class I railroads, alleging their fuel surcharge programs violated antitrust laws.

Jennifer Hamann will succeed Rob Knight on January 1, 2020.

U.S. rail volumes are down nearly 4% year-to-date amid a 6.6% decline for coal and a 4% drop for intermodal.

The railroad was building the train when it derailed and caused a tank car to catch fire.

Three Class I U.S. rail operations earned enough returns on investment in 2018 to support their capital projects.

Slumping coal demand, trade wars and a competitive truck market are weighing on rail volumes for the remainder of the year.

Market Voice Jim Blaze writes about rail intermodal and what is happening to this area of the railroad sector.