Class I railroads

Head count for US Class I rail operations shows mixed bag

The average number of employees working for the U.S.-based operations of the Class I railroads for the first three quarters of 2023 is roughly flat to lower compared with the same period in 2020, according to data collected by the Surface Transportation Board.

But when comparing those two periods, only two rail employment categories from within that total number grew: the train and engine (T&E) category and the category for executives, officials and staff assistants. 

On average, the U.S....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/head-count-for-us-class-i-rail-operations-shows-mixed-bag

Many headwinds faced rails in Q3 but future could be brighter: Analyst

Third-quarter results might still be under pressure from lower rail volumes and higher operational costs, but investors should keep their eyes on the freight rail industry longer term, according to Susequehanna transportation analyst Bascome Majors.

“We’re comfortable with our yet-again-reduced 2024 forecasts for rails (EPS 3% to 9% below consensus). After more than a year on the sidelines, we’re actively looking for mid-term re-entry points on any short-term stumbles,” Majors said in a Tuesday...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/many-headwinds-faced-rails-in-q3-but-future-could-be-brighter-analyst

‘More needs to be done to promote freight rail competition’

U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., want the Surface Transportation Board to press on with a rulemaking they say could enable shippers to receive better rail service and make the U.S. rail network more resilient.

The two senators sent a letter to STB Chairman Marty Oberman dated Monday asking him to “move swiftly” on regulation for reciprocal switching. 

Reciprocal switching is a process that would grant a shipper with access to the network of another Class I...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/more-needs-to-be-done-to-promote-freight-rail-competition

STB takes long-awaited step in addressing rail service standards

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The Surface Transportation Board has taken a major step in addressing rail service to shippers by...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/stb-takes-long-awaited-step-in-addressing-rail-service-standards

Falling grain exports will affect US railroads’ capacity needs, expert says

Within the next 10 years, U.S. and Canadian grain exports could look very different from now. Stiff competition from other grain-producing countries and regions, such as Brazil, the area around the Black Sea and Australia, could pressure North American export volumes. Meanwhile, domestic production of biofuels, particularly biodiesel, is anticipated to grow.

What will these changes mean for the freight railroads, which transport grains from the Midwest and western Canada to the ports for export?...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/falling-grain-exports-will-affect-us-railroads-capacity-needs-expert-says

Freight rail union calls for more extensive training of conductors

Following two recent deaths involving conductor trainees, the union representing train conductors is calling for more stringent training than what’s being offered now at the freight railroads, according to an internal safety advisory produced by the union.

The call for action by the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Railroad and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division (SMART-TD) was spurred by the two deaths of conductor trainees that occurred within 60 days of each other...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freight-rail-union-calls-for-more-extensive-training-of-conductors

Federal regulators seek feedback on plan to collect train length data

The Federal Railroad Administration is seeking public input on its plan to ask the Class I railroads to submit monthly data on the lengths and weights of trains. 

FRA says the additional data collection is necessary so it has sufficient data available to study train lengths, especially after the agency issued a safety advisory in April telling the railroads to be mindful of the potential complexities associated with operating longer trains. Longer trains could result in more complex in-train...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/federal-regulators-seek-feedback-on-plan-to-collect-train-length-data

Critics challenge the independence of railroad-employed police

If railway police officers investigating an incident encounter evidence that could be damning to a rail company, do they see their primary duty as seeking all the facts or protecting the company’s name?

For some families of loved ones who died in railway accidents, that question is not merely academic.

Since October, FreightWaves has conducted a series of interviews on the issue, including the question of whether a governmental or other third-party entity should be responsible for ensuring that...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/critics-challenge-the-independence-of-railroad-employed-police

Ag secretary: Rail service ‘remains inadequate and unreliable’

While rail service has improved for agricultural and grain shippers in 2023 compared with last year, ongoing service issues warrant continued attention and regulatory action, rail shippers are telling the Surface Transportation Board.

For starters, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently urged STB to follow through with a number of actions to bolster rail service, including moving forward on proceedings regarding private rail car use and emergency service orders, including addressing...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ag-secretary-rail-service-remains-inadequate-and-unreliable

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