Influential shipper group: No rail mergers without better service, pricing, and competition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Industrial Transportation League said today that rail shippers will not support a transcontinental railroad merger unless it’s accompanied by improvements in service, pricing, and competition. “Despite the promises that rail customers would benefit from mergers through more efficient service, in reality captive rail customers must pay increasingly higher prices for […]

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Iowa Interstate, county partner on new rail industrial park in Newton, Iowa

NEWTON, Iowa — Iowa Interstate Railroad and Jasper County, Iowa, on Wednesday announced the launch of the Newton Rail Park, a 367-acre industrial park to feature biofuel and manufacturing industries and offering rail-related logistics. The public-private partnership between the railroad and county has invested $10 million in property acquisition and infrastructure planning, reports the Business […]

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US weekly rail traffic remains above 2024 levels

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remained ahead of 2024 levels, albeit slightly, for the week ending July 26, 2025. Total rail traffic for the week was 524,279 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1% over the same week a year ago. That included 231,029 carloads, up 0.9% compared to the corresponding week in 2024, and […]

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UP, NS plan to make formal merger filing by January 2026

Train crossing bridge over canal

WASHINGTON — Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern plan to file their merger application with the Surface Transportation Board on or before Jan, 29, 2026, according to a notice of intent filed with the Surface Transportation Board today (July 30, 2025). That notice of intent, also known as a prefiling notification, is required under the board’s […]

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CPKC sees profits and revenue jump on stronger volumes

Train with red, yellow, and black locomotives at grade crossing

CALGARY, Alberta — Canadian Pacific Kansas City profits and revenue grew in the second quarter as the railway carried more intermodal, grain, and coal shipments. CEO Keith Creel says the elephant in the room — the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger — does not change the growth opportunities his railway enjoys thanks to its unique […]

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Bill to support rail electrification reintroduced in Congress

Passenger train led by cab car passes stopped commuter train with locomotive in push mode.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) have reintroduced a bill that would devote $200 billion over a five-year period for rail projects including high speed rail and electrification of some lines. The All Aboard Act, announced by Markey on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) revives legislation introduced late in 2024 […]

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East Troy Industrial Park Sidetrack | Building a glass plant, Part 3

Eric White, Editor of Model Railroader magazine, continues his HO scale glass plant project for the East Troy Industrial Park Project Railroad, now focusing on building chimneys with intricate brass details. Discover the secrets to flawless metalwork as he shares tips and tricks for soldering metal parts in a manner that yields a seamless finish…and […]

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Broken wheel led to CN grain train derailment: TSB

View of railcar wheelset with broken wheel on one side

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A broken wheel, which fractured after sustaining a dent to the back of the wheel plate, led to the derailment of  a Canadian National Railway unit grain train in Manitoba in March 2024, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in an investigation report released Tuesday (July 29, 2025). The derailment occurred […]

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