Analysts say stalled growth, fading pricing power drive UP–NS merger push

Why merge — and why merge now? Those were leadoff questions last week at a virtual salon where four industry veterans dissected the forces behind Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern, the untested regulatory road ahead, and the potential ripple effects for shippers, communities, and competitors. Rick Paterson, an analyst with Loop Capital Markets, […]

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Angel could be CSX’s final CEO: Analysis

Two blue and yellow locomotives leading train of tank cars

Steve Angel joins CSX Transportation as its eighth chief executive in the railroad’s 45 years, and the Tarheel native could well be the railroad’s last CEO if the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger prompts a BNSF-CSX allegiance. As the industry possibly faces its final round of consolidation, CSX has to do something. While it may seem […]

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SMART-TD welcomes departure of CSX CEO

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The SMART-TD union today welcomed the departure of CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs, saying the appointment of Steve Angel as chief executive is an opportunity to improve the labor-management relationship. “With the appointment of Steve Angel as CSX’s new Chief Executive Officer, SMART TD hopes that this change can mark the beginning of […]

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Angel to CSX employees: ‘Our focus remains clear’

Freight train with blue and yellow locomotives on three-track line surrounded by trees

CSX CEO Steve Angel introduced himself to railroad employees in this memo today. September 29, 2025 A Message from Steve Angel CSX President and Chief Executive Officer CSX Team, Following today’s announcement, I want to introduce myself and share a few thoughts as I begin my role as your President and CEO. Over the coming […]

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CSX names new chief executive

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX today named former Linde CEO Steve Angel as its new chief executive, replacing Joe Hinrichs, who led the company for three years but attracted criticism this summer from an activist investor after the railroad’s financial and operational performance slipped. “We are excited to welcome Steve as our new CEO. He is […]

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CSX officially opens the Howard Street Tunnel after clearance project

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX today announced the re-opening of the expanded Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore following a double-stack clearance project that began on Feb. 1. “The completion of the Howard Street Tunnel reflects the dedication of our people — a once-in-a-generation achievement that will drive commerce, jobs, and growth across Maryland and the East […]

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CSX reopens storm-ravaged Blue Ridge Subdivision

Blue and gray locomotive

CSX’s rebuilt Blue Ridge Subdivision — the former Clinchfield Railroad in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina which was heavily damaged by flooding after Hurricane Helene last fall — hosted its first revenue freight train over the weekend. With Clinchfield heritage locomotive No. 1902 on the point, train U248-20 traversed the line on Saturday. CSX […]

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Richard Jay Solomon, innovator and rail enthusiast, dies at 85

Man standing in front of railroad tracks and a passenger shelter

Richard Jay Solomon, of Monson, Mass., passed away suddenly on Sept. 10, 2025, following several months of illness. He was 85 years old. Born in New York City to Alfred P. and Bessie Solomon, Richard was an only child and grew up in the Bronx. As a child, he traveled by train with his parents, […]

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CSX CEO says railroads have struggled to grow due to fixation on profit margins

Man in black coat and white shirt gesturing while speaking

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — U.S. railroad traffic levels have been stagnant over the past 15 years because the Class I railroads were obsessed with profit margins while neglecting growth opportunities, CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs says. Hinrichs, speaking at an investor conference last week, was asked why railroads have struggled to grow, even setting aside the […]

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CN and CSX tout railroad collaboration

Intermodal train with one red and black locomotive on curve

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — Canadian National and CSX executives today touted cooperation — not combination — as the best way to convert freight from highway to rail. While Union Pacific has proposed an $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern to create the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S., CN CEO Tracy Robinson says interline partnerships […]

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CSX to reopen Howard Street Tunnel and Blue Ridge Sub ahead of schedule

BALTIMORE — CSX plans to resume operations through the Howard Street Tunnel and over its hurricane-damaged Blue Ridge Subdivision ahead of schedule, CEO Joe Hinrichs said today. Trains will begin running through the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore during the last week of September. The tunnel on CSX’s I-95 corridor has been closed since Feb. […]

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