Struggle to bring crews back draws scrutiny from regulators, who were already concerned about lean operations By Paul Ziobro for wsj.com America’s freight railroads are struggling to bring back workers, contributing to a slowdown in the movement of chemicals, fertilizer and other products that threatens to disrupt factory operations and hinder a rebound from the […]
On March 9, 2021, the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requesting a waiver of compliance from certain provisions of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR parts 215 (Railroad Freight Car Safety Standards) and 232 (Brake System Safety Standards for Freight and Other Non-Passenger Trains and Equipment; […]
Article published by uprr.com Sometimes you swing for the fences and miss; other times you hit a homerun. Both apply in the story of Union Pacific’s big coal win with electric utility Evergy. UP recently scored a multiyear contract with Evergy, greatly expanding the railroad’s current transportation portfolio with the customer. The deal includes business […]
By Bill Stephens for trn.trains.com OMAHA, Neb. — Outgoing Union Pacific Chief Operating Officer Jim Vena, who accelerated Precision Scheduled Railroading operational changes across the system, will not rule out popping up at another Class I railroad. Vena was asked last week about his plans once his stint is up at UP, which the Canadian […]
Surface Transportation Board, Federal Railroad Administration and labor unions ask for assurances By Joanna Marsh for freightwaves.com The Surface Transportation Board (STB) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Ron Batory have sent letters to the CEOs of all seven Class I railroads asking them to resolve service issues that have arisen during the months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their […]
By Joanna Marsh for freightwaves.com One hundred percent of the tracks owned by the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads have completed the advanced field testing of positive train control (PTC), a federally mandated safety technology that must be implemented on all Class I railroads, Amtrak and certain commuter rail lines by December 31 of this year, […]
The second and third quarters could see “substantial” declines in revenue for the Class I railroads as North America rides out the coronavirus pandemic, according to Wall Street analysts’ perspectives, provided ahead of the first-quarter earnings season. Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) will announce its first-quarter earnings on April 17, followed by CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) and Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) the following week. […]
Norfolk Southern Railway is surveying its customers to learn how state and local governments’ executive orders related to the coronavirus pandemic are affecting customers’ businesses and transportation requirements. Last week, the Class I posted the survey on its website. NS officials are integrating responses into its transportation plans, said Alan Shaw, executive vice president and chief marketing […]
article By Bill Stephens for trains.com Railroad traffic is expected to take a hit from the economic fallout surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. International intermodal volumes have declined since China extended its Lunar New Year holiday to slow the spread of the illness. Factories have since been ramping up production, however, so the lull is expected to […]
Mergers and acquisitions could happen among the Class I railroads within the next decade if regulatory and economic factors drive railroads to see mergers as a path to greater efficiency and expanded capacity, according to industry observers. “I just feel it’s inevitable at some point. It’s a natural evolution if capacity is going to be […]