New U.S. tariffs pummel railroad stocks (updated)

Yellow locomotives leading train of double-stacked containers over bridge

Railroad stocks tumbled today in response to the Trump administration’s Wednesday announcement of widespread tariffs on U.S. trading partners. It was an indication that investors believe the tariffs will raise prices and have a negative impact on consumer spending, which in turn will reduce demand for the raw materials and finished products that railroads carry. […]

Read More…

U.S weekly rail traffic shows strong gains

Weekly table showing U.S. carload rail volume by commodity type, plus overall intermodal traffic

WASHINGTON — Big gains in both carload and intermodal traffic lifted U.S. weekly rail traffic to its biggest gains over 2024 levels in 10 weeks, and the second-biggest gain of the year. Statistics from the Association of American Railroads for the week ending March 29 show total volume of 513,553 carloads and intermodal units, an […]

Read More…

Double trouble

20200402

After doubling its train together at Clare Yard in Cincinnati, train 78 prepares to depart east for Portsmouth, Ohio, over the Peavine in December 1959. Doubling the train blocked the Pennsylvania’s main line diamond at Clare. Tom Smart, J. David Ingles collection […]

Read More…

OmniTRAX taps BNSF executive Colby Tanner as its next CEO

DENVER – Shortline holding company OmniTRAX today (April 2, 2025) named BNSF Railway sales and marketing executive Colby Tanner as its next CEO. Tanner, who brings a combination of railroad and real estate development experience to OmniTRAX, will begin working at OmniTRAX on April 15 alongside current CEO Dean Piacente. The duo aims to accelerate […]

Read More…

Trackage rights in the timetable era

Scan of a railroad employee timetable with town names, times, train numbers, and other information.

Q: I’m currently planning a layout that features several railroads, including a mythical short line that has to use running rights with the larger railroads. How would these running rights work in regards to timetables and train orders? And how would clearance cards be issued? Would there be a clearance card issued by each road, […]

Read More…

Classic railway preservation

20200414

Colorado Railroad Museum founder Bob Richardson moves a three-way switch at the Narrow Gauge Museum south of Alamosa, Colo., in the mid-1950s. This was the initial gathering point for the collection before it moved to Golden in 1958. The Mears Junction sign is from the place where the Rio Grande’s Marshall Pass and Valley narrow […]

Read More…

CN train derails in Manitoba

Canadian National logo

BRANDON, Manitoba — No injuries resulted when 15 cars of a Canadian National train derailed Monday evening in downtown Brandon, disrupting rush-hour traffic. CTV News reports the derailment occurred about 5 p.m., blocking 6th Street between McTavish and Van Horne avenues. The railroad said the derailed cars included one carrying fertilizer, three with potash, and […]

Read More…

Machinists union, rail carriers announce tentative agreement

Logo of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — The International Association of Machinists has reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year agreement with the National Carriers Conference Committee, the bargaining group for Class I and other railroads. The agreement covers about 4,900 IAM members working at BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Canadian National, Belt Railway of Chicago, Conrail, Terminal Rail, […]

Read More…

Circus style

20200420

Trailers were loaded and unloaded at mid-century “circus style” by means of a ramp at the end of a track and retractable bridge plates between cars. Here, a Southern Pacific trailer moves along a string of flatcars. Robert Hale photo […]

Read More…