railroads

Fuchs: Efficient Surface Transportation Board will foster rail competition, growth

DENVER — The chairman-designate of the Surface Transportation Board says he is transforming the regulatory agency into a more efficient body that will help support competition and growth for railroads.

“We want to break down barriers to growth, encourage competition and elevate the role of markets instead of government,” STB Chairman Patrick Fuchs told a rail industry conference Tuesday. “More broadly, I want the board to be more efficient and effective, to deliver for business, and the country.”

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fuchs-efficient-surface-transportation-board-will-foster-rail-competition-growth

BNSF, NS, Northwestern ports trim 3 days from intermodal speed service to Chicago

BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern (NS) and the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) have announced a collaboration to enhance intermodal service from the Pacific Northwest.

The partners aim to deliver a three-day-faster service for inland point intermodal (IPI) traffic originating from the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, destined for or connecting through Chicago.

The redesigned service plan focuses on efficiency and speed. NWSA will now build trains with less than two days of dwell time off...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bnsf-ns-northwestern-ports-trim-3-days-from-intermodal-speed-service-to-chicago

Trucks make January run for the border at railroads’ expense

North American transborder freight carried by railroads declined in January from the same month the previous year even as shipments hauled by trucks increased by double digits.

Overall transborder freight totaled $134.4 billion in January, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) said, an increase of 8.2% from January 2024.

Railroads moved $15.2 billion of that, down 2.7% y/y, while trucks accounted for $87.6 billion, up 10.2%.

While January historically is a slack period for most freight,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trucks-make-january-run-for-the-border-at-railroads-expense

Union Pacific in partnership for Kansas City shortline railroad

Union Pacific Railroad has announced a new partnership with Jaguar Transport Holding LLC to enhance rail services in Kansas City, Missouri’s Central Industrial District.

Under the agreement, Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) will lease approximately 12 acres of land and 4 miles of track to multimodal logistics provider Jaguar Transport. This move allows Union Pacific to concentrate on efficient long-haul service while Jaguar will operate a new shortline railroad called the Kansas City West Bottoms...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/union-pacific-in-partnership-for-kansas-city-shortline-railroad

BNSF attracted $4.2B investment from online rail customers in 2024

BNSF Railway says its customers invested more than $4.2 billion along its lines in 2024.

Significant investments were made by customers including CJ Logistics America, Hudson Asphalt Terminal and Bakersfield Renewable Fuels. As a result of these and other customer investments, BNSF projects supported the creation of more than 1,000 jobs in local communities.

The investments are the largest that BNSF customers and local economic development organizations have made in new or expanded facilities in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bnsf-attracted-4-2b-investment-from-online-rail-customers-in-2024

Norfolk Southern expands portfolio of certified rail-served industrial sites

Norfolk Southern continues to strengthen its industrial site development with the recent certification of three additional rail-served properties in seven states through the Redi Sites program.

This brings the total number of NS Redi-certified sites to 12, showcasing the company’s commitment to providing prime locations for businesses seeking rail-integrated solutions.

The Redi Sites program, administered by the U.S.-based Site Selectors Guild, offers a standardized and rigorous evaluation...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/norfolk-southern-expands-portfolio-of-certified-rail-served-industrial-sites

NTSB faults Maryland in Key Bridge collapse, warns dozens of other bridges at risk

The National Transportation Safety Board said a proper risk assessment by the state of Maryland may have avoided the deadly Key Bridge collapse in 2024, and the agency warned that dozens of other bridges are at similar risk throughout the United States.

The warning comes as part of the NTSB’s ongoing investigation into the March 2024 allision of the containership Dali with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which killed six road workers.

In a new report, the NTSB said it conducted a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ntsb-faults-maryland-in-key-bridge-collapse-warns-dozens-of-other-bridges-at-risk

Thousands of Teamsters rail workers ratify new national contract

In a significant win for rail workers across the United States, over 8,700 members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference have voted to approve a new contract with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC).

The agreement covers workers from more than 20 railroads who bargained collectively through the NCCC. They include welders, track inspectors and electricians.

BMWED President Tony Cardwell in a release emphasized the broad...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/thousands-of-teamsters-rail-workers-ratify-new-national-contract

Weekly US rail traffic remains ahead of 2024 levels

Weekly U.S. rail traffic remains ahead of 2024 levels, with a third straight week of gains greater than 5%, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Volume for the week ending March 15 was 503,473 carloads and intermodal units, a 6.2% increase from the same week a year ago. That includes 226,027 carloads, an increase of 3.1%, and 227,446 containers and trailers, up 8.8%.

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https://www.freightwaves.com/news/weekly-us-rail-traffic-remains-ahead-of-2024-levels

County Line Rail acquires Sabine River & Northern Railroad

Rail logistics provider County Line Rail (CLR) announced the acquisition of the Sabine River & Northern Railroad (SRN), a 40-mile shortline railroad in east Texas.

Founded in 1965, the SRN provides freight service over 40 miles of track from Bessmay to Echo, Texas, with a branch line from Buna to Evandale. It connects with Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. It handles mostly chemicals, pulp and paper products.

No terms were disclosed by privately held...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/county-line-rail-acquires-sabine-river-northern-railroad

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