You know it’s been a big news year when the first merger of Class I railroads in more than two decades — and likely the last — is judged the No. 3 story of 2023. In a typical year, Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern would have topped the headlines. The Surface […]
Railroad: CPKC
CN, CPKC, UP named to Dow Jones world and North America sustainability lists
Canadian National, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and Union Pacific have been named to the World and North America Dow Jones Sustainability indices released earlier this month, while CSX is on the North America list. For CN, it was the 12th consecutive year on the world list and 15th on the North America list. CPKC’s inclusion […]
CPKC Holiday Train, Holiday Express raise $2 million
CALGARY — The CPKC Holiday train raised a record C$1.8 milion and collected more than 160,000 pounds of food for local food banks during four weeks of travel across the United States and Canada, the railroad has announced. The Holiday Train program, which has completed its 25th year, raised more than $24.3 million and collected […]
BNSF to issue permits to prevent congestion once Eagle Pass, El Paso gateways reopen
FORT WORTH, Texas — BNSF Railway will use a permit system to prevent congestion once the Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, rail border crossings are reopened. The bridges over the Rio Grande have been shut down since Monday as customs officials divert personnel to process a surge of migrants who have entered the country […]
With two key Mexico rail gateways shut down, cross-border freight begins stacking up (updated)
WASHINGTON — The temporary shutdown of the U.S.-Mexico railroad border crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, has thrown a kink into supply chains that demand reliability. Eagle Pass and El Paso are the No. 2 and No. 3 rail gateways by volume, respectively. Union Pacific says the closure has prompted it to place […]
Mexico proposes Monterrey-area commuter service on CPKC de Mexico
MEXICO CITY — The Mexican Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation and the state of Nuevo Leon have reached an agreement with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern de Mexico to study commuter service in the Monterrey area. CPKC de Mexico has committed to providing information to the government agencies, a railway spokesman said today. Mexican […]
Now in vogue: Class I railroads buying short lines and regionals – Analysis
It’s hard to say when a trend becomes a trend. But yesterday’s announcement that Canadian National will acquire the 253-mile Iowa Northern Railway suggests that short lines and regionals getting gobbled up by Class I railroads is now a thing. Since 2020, Class I railroads have reached a half-dozen deals with short lines and regional […]
Mexican government seeks passenger service on seven lines
MEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has identified seven routes where it seeks the establishment of passenger rail service under a decree issued Monday, an edict that will require the companies holding the nation’s freight concessions to operate those services or accommodate government-operated trains. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obardor announced his plan to issue […]
CPKC Holiday Train, Holiday Express begin trips this week
CALGARY — The CPKC Holiday Train and Holiday Express both are set to begin operation this week, with both the Canadian and U.S. trains beginning their trips on Tuesday, Nov. 21, while the Holiday Express launches its trip through the Southeast and Texas on Saturday, Nov. 25. The Canadian Holiday Train actually begins in the […]
CPKC in discussions with Mexican government on passenger service, has agreed to fund capacity study
CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City says it has agreed to study passenger service on part of its freight network in Mexico, and is reviewing a draft decree by the Mexican government regarding passenger train operations. Reuters reports that companies holding Mexicos’s freight rail concessions — including CPKC de Mexico and Grupo Mexico’s Ferromex, in […]
Competition from CPKC makes the rail industry better, CEO Keith Creel says
NEW YORK — Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO Keith Creel is not the least bit surprised at how rival Class I railroads have responded to the CP-KCS merger by launching new and faster cross-border intermodal service. “We’re creating competition and this industry is getting stronger as a result,” Creel told the RailTrends conference on Thursday. […]
Railroads once again emphasize interline intermodal as way to compete with trucks
Class I railroads, which pruned their interline intermodal service as the Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model spread in the U.S. over the past few years, have rediscovered joint service and say it’s a way to capture freight moving on the highway. Several interline intermodal initiatives have been announced since May. Among them: The Canadian National-Union […]