Freight Rail

In this podcast, LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman interviews Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ian Jefferies.

In this podcast, LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman interviews Tony Hatch, principal of New York-based ABH Consulting.

The prospects of the proposed Class I rail carrier merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern appear to be closer to coming to fruition are picking up steam.

The deal strengthens CMA CGM’s position in the UK railroad market and helps it shift more cargo from road to rail.

The companies said that this service will give shippers what it called a “seamless, all-rail alternative for international containers” going from Canada’s West Coast gateways through Memphis and then into Nashville. And they added that by replacing the current trucking leg with a steel-wheel interchange, both carriers will be able to deliver faster, more reliable, and more sustainable supply chain offerings for their respective customers.

Earlier this month, activist investor Ancora Holdings LLC penned a letter to the Board of Directors at Jacksonville-based Class I railroad carrier CSX, in which it stated that CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs has put the company in the position of having to play “catch up,” following the recently-announced merger between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS).

A Bloomberg report, citing people familiar with the matter, noted an agreement could be reached as soon as this week, adding, if the deal came to fruition, it would represent the largest railroad deal on record.

Rail carloads, at 223,968, posted a 4.1% annual increase. Intermodal containers and trailers, at 272,220 units, were up 1.4% annually.

A key component of this legislation focuses on the need to take what the senators called a commonsense approach to addressing high costs and unreliable service by clarifying the common carrier obligation—which requires rail carriers to serve the shipping public “on reasonable request.”

Rail carloads, at 225,301, posted a 3.1% annual gain, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 258,506 units, fell 4.9% annually.

The report also highlights freight rail’s key role in supply chains, noting that more than one-third of all rail traffic directly supports trade.

Rail carloads, at 222,003, fell 1.3% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 283,030 units, rose 5.9% annually.

Rail carloads, at 222,201, saw a 2.2% annual gain, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 256,978 units, were up 12.1% annually.

Rail carloads, at 228,858, rose 1.2% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 287,949 units, increased 17.1% annually.

While high tensions between Class I railroad carriers CN and Canada Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) remain intact, following the potential for a full-blown work stoppage, which was ostensibly resolved, for the time being, after the railroads respectively received offers from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), calling for imposing binding arbitration between them and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), freight rail activity north of the border has resumed.