North American rail traffic has yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels

Intermodal train navigating switches

The Big Four U.S. Class I railroads all showed year-over-year traffic growth in 2024, while Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City experienced volume declines. Looking longer term, however, CSX is the only railroad whose 2024 volume rebounded to pre-pandemic levels of 2019. CSX’s traffic was up 0.6% last year compared to 2019, due largely […]

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Judge turns down New Jersey bid to block congestion pricing

Map of Lower Manhattan

NEW YORK — New York’s congestion pricing plan will begin Sunday, Jan. 5, after a judge turned down New Jersey’s last-ditch effort to block the program. Gothamist reports U.S. Judge Leo Gordon said New Jersey’s request to delay the program was “in a nutshell, denied,” in a Friday evening ruling clarifying a 72-page decision earlier […]

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U.S. rail volume remains up in final full week of 2024

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic remained ahead of year-earlier levels for the final week of 2024, the Association of American Railroads reported today (Friday, Jan. 3, 2025). For the week ending Dec. 28, 2024, total volume was 389,700 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.1% increase over the same week in 2023. That included 184,028 […]

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Utah Central workers vote to join BLET

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Train and engine service workers at the Utah Central Railway have voted to join the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, the union has announced — the seventh short line to join the union since 2023. The vote, certified by the National Mediation Board in December, was unanimous, the union said in […]

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Roberts becomes CEO at Savage

Upper-body shot of man in blue blazer

SALT LAKE CITY — Jeff Roberts has become CEO of Savage Cos., the multifaceted supply-chain company whose businesses include short line railroads and other rail operations and logistics. Roberts becomes just the fourth CEO in the history of the privately held company established in 1946. He replaces Kirk Aubry, who announced plans to retire in […]

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Engineers’ union ratifies Berkshire & Eastern contract

Logo of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have ratified a five-year contract with Genesee & Wyoming’s Berkshire & Eastern Railroad, the union announced this week. The contract, ratified unanimously, includes wage increases totally 22.5% over the life of the contract: 5% at signing, 5% in 2025, 4% in 2026, 4% […]

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News Wire recommended reading

Short passenger train on single track surrounded by trees

Trains News Wire’s occasional roundup of noteworthy articles is back for your New Year’s Day enlightment, this time with three recent stories on commuter and passenger rail: — The news site MinnPost looks at Amtrak’s Borealis and barriers to further service; even adding another car to the consist would require negotations. — The Boston Globe […]

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‘One CSX’ locomotive unveiled by railroad

Nose view of blue locomotive with One CSX lettering

WAYCROSS, Ga. — CSX has introduced a new specially painted locomotive commemorating its “One CSX” initiative to recognize and involve the railroad’s employees. As with the railroad’s fleet of heritage locomotives, the newly painted unit — SD70MAC No. 4720 — was unveiled by CEO Joe Hinrichs in a posted on the business social media site […]

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