Documentary looks at Iowa Interstate’s first 40 years

Train with black, red and yellow locomotives on long grade.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A new documentary about the Iowa Interstate Railroad marking the railroad’s 40th anniversary is now available at the company’s YouTube page. “Revival and Redemption: Iowa Interstate at 40” is a 34-minute feature looking at the railroad’s growth from startup in 1984 to its current regional role linking Iowa and Illinois with […]

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U.S. rail traffic rebounds after two weeks of declines

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

WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic rebounded after two down weeks, with overall volume up 6.2% for the week ending Feb. 14. According to the Association of American Railroads, overall traffic was 510,399 carloads and intermodal units, accounting for the gain compared to the same week a year ago. That included 225,283 carloads, up 7.7% from […]

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Hudson Tunnel work to resume as federal government completes payment of withheld funds

NEW YORK — The Gateway Development Commission has received the full $205 million in Hudson Tunnel funding that had been withheld by the federal government, the commission said today (Feb. 18). As a result, tunnel construction, which halted on Feb. 6, should resume next week. “We are working with our contractors to deploy these funds […]

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Union Pacific CEO explains delay in revised merger filing

Freight train with one yellow locomotive and one black locomotive

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Union Pacific’s plans to submit its revised Norfolk Southern merger application slipped from March to April after federal regulators clarified how certain data must be formatted, UP CEO Jim Vena says. On Tuesday, UP and NS told the Surface Transportation Board that they would file their updated merger application on April […]

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Bill calling for time and a half pay on federal holidays gains rail union support

Commuter trains meet

WASHINGTON — Several rail unions are among organizations that have announced support for the Holiday Pay Act, a bill introduced last week by U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) that would require employers to pay time and a half for working federal holidays. “Many Americans are working holidays because they need the money and giving up […]

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BLET official blasts MTA CEO’s statement that competitive concerns blocked Metro-North service to Albany

Blue and red converted locomotive on end of passenger train.

HAMDEN, Conn. — The union official who represents Amtrak engineers has taken exception to a claim by Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Lieber that Amtrak “feared the competition” when it withdrew support for proposed Metro-North service between New York City and Albany, N.Y. “The issue is not about competition,” wrote Patrick W. Darcy Jr., general […]

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Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to file revised merger application April 30

Two trains, one yellow and one black, approach the camera

WASHINGTON — Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will submit their revised merger application on April 30, the railroads informed the Surface Transportation Board today. The STB on Jan. 16 rejected the original 6,692-page application as incomplete. The railroads initially expected to file the revised application as early as March. Regulators pointed out that their decision […]

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CN productivity efforts to focus on terminals

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Canadian National’s ongoing effort to operate a “leaner and more productive” railroad is now focusing on terminal operations, CEO Tracy Robinson told an investor conference today (Tuesday, Feb. 17). Chief Operating Officer Patrick Whitehead is currently focusing on those terminals, Robinson said. “That’s where something like 50% of our operating labor […]

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News photo: Norfolk Southern introduces third Landmark Series locomotive

Tuscan red and black locomotive on turntable

ALTOONA, Pa. — Norfolk Southern has introduced the third locomotive in its Landmark Series, ES44AC No. 8184, the Altoona. Unveiled last week in Altoona, Pa., it joins earlier locomotives Birmingham and Atlanta in wearing the special Tuscan Red and black paint scheme [see “Norfolk Southern announces locomotive ‘Landmark Series,’” Trains.com, Nov. 13, 2025]. The locomotives […]

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Seven state attorneys general ask Justice Department to scrutinize UP-NS merger

Coal train with two locomotives

WASHINGTON — Top legal officials in seven Republican states are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to scrutinize the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger. The group of state attorneys general led by Montana’s Austin Knudsen claim that the east-west consolidation will stifle competition and increase costs for Americans. The coalition in a letter asks Acting […]

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Brightline unveils ‘Freedom Express’ trainset (with video)

Blue passenger car with image of signing of Declaration of Independence in foreground.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Brightline today unveiled its “Freedom Express” trainset, which wraps 10 cars with designs marking key moments in American history. The train will be regular service through July. The design was created in partnership with America250, the nonpartisan organization established by Congress to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration […]

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Intermodal spot rates haven’t kept pace with trucking’s spot market surge — but that’s about to change in 2026

Double-stack train in snow

Craig Fuller is the CEO at FreightWaves. The freight market has been sending mixed signals for months, but one trend stands out clearly as we move deeper into 2026: Trucking spot rates have staged a meaningful recovery, while intermodal rates remain stubbornly anchored near cycle lows. Look at the data. Truckload spot rates (inclusive of […]

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