Executives from the big four U.S. railroads — BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific — will take turns in the hot seat next week during two days of Surface Transportation Board hearings on widespread service problems. Federal regulators, fed up with ongoing shipper complaints, will want to know how and when the […]
Type of Train: Freight
STB sets speaking schedule for hearing on rail service issues
WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has released its schedule for speakers to take part in next week’s hearing regarding urgent issues in freight rail service, to be held at the STB’s hearing room April 26-27. The proceedings will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT both days. A total of 11 “panels” of speakers are scheduled, […]
Florida ocean shipping firm says it has agreement with CSX to launch intermodal service from Tampa-area port
PALMETTO, Fla. — A Palmetto company says it working with CSX Transportation to launch intermodal service from SeaPort Manatee, a port at the entrance to Tampa Bay in Palmetto County, to the Northeast. The Bradenton Herald reports Daniel Blazer and his father, Robert Blazer, owners of World Direct Shipping, appeared at Thursday’s meeting of the […]
Union Pacific earnings improve despite congestion and crew shortages
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific reported higher first quarter volume, revenue, and profits despite congestion related to crew shortages and rising freight car inventory. “Improving our service product has our full and undivided attention,” CEO Lance Fritz told investors and analysts on the railroad’s Thursday morning earnings call. UP’s on-time performance deteriorated during the quarter. […]
Weekly U.S. rail traffic shows significant drop
WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 16 showed steep declines in both carload and intermodal volume, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads. Overall traffic of 489,801 carloads and intermodal units represented an 8.1% drop from the corresponding week in 2021, with the 221,228 carloads — which […]
CSX turns the corner on crew hiring as quarterly financial results improve
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation expects service to continue to improve throughout the year as its conductor and engineer ranks grow amid a hiring surge. “We are pleased with our results this quarter, though we’re not yet satisfied with our service performance,” Foote told investors and analysts on the railroad’s earnings call on Wednesday afternoon. […]
Gulf Coast hearing, week 3: Mobile rail executive outlines train movements; Amtrak witnesses criticize randomized data
WASHINGTON — Switching details and conflicting traffic modeling assumptions dominated discussions at the Surface Transportation Board’s hearing into Amtrak plans to launch passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. The seventh and eighth days of testimony and cross-examination, spread over three weeks, on the dispute over plans for two daily Amtrak round trips precedes […]
CSX, union reach agreement on advance payments against future wage deal
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation announced it has reached a tentative agreement with one of its operating unions to provide monthly advance payments against future wage increases expected when current bargaining over a national rail labor contract is completed. The railroad agreed to pay trainmen and yardmasters represented by the International Association of Sheet Metal, […]
CN raises new train count data issues around CP-KCS merger
WASHINGTON — Canadian National claims it has found additional train count inconsistencies in the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger application and related environmental filings. The Surface Transportation Board last month put review of the CP-KCS merger on hold until discrepancies in train density data could be sorted out. CP has provided the board with clarification […]
Carload Considerations: Trucking fuel costs make case for shipping by rail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With diesel fuel prices for trucks twice as high as a year ago, railroads may have an opportunity to benefit from truck-to-rail shipping conversions. Truckers, struggling to preserve operating margins, are adding fuel surcharges or renegotiated rates, prompting shippers to price rail alternatives in search of cost savings and better reliability. Truck […]
Rail project at Port of Long Beach gets federal approval
LONG BEACH, Calif. — A major expansion of rail facilities at the Port of Long Beach has received long-awaited approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration, the port announced Monday. The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility will reduce truck traffic by allowing direct transfer of containers between trains and marine terminals. The issuance of a […]
Fertilizer producer says UP shipment restrictions could threaten crops
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Union Pacific’s plan to begin metering traffic as of today will curtail fertilizer shipments and put crops at risk, a major fertilizer producer says. “The timing of this action by Union Pacific could not come at a worse time for farmers,” CF Industries CEO Tony Will said in a statement on Thursday. […]