Prototype News

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the Feb. 22, 2026, collision involving a freight train (CN-subsidiary Illinois Central Railway Company or IC) and a stationary passenger train (Amtrak) during a switching operation near Memphis, Tenn.

At about 11:00 a.m. local time, an IC mixed freight train (Z19491-21) reversed on main track 1 during a switching operation and struck a stationary Amtrak passenger train (59-21) at milepost 9.6 on the Shelby Subdivision, according to the NTSB, which published its report on March 18 and noted that the information is “preliminary and subject to change.” The IC train comprised two head-end locomotives and 82 railcars and was crewed by a conductor and engineer. The Amtrak train comprised one locomotive and seven railcars; onboard were 118 riders and a crew of seven Amtrak employees.

“The IC train was shoving north about 10 mph on main track 1 when it struck the Amtrak train’s locomotive on the same track,” the NTSB reported. When interviewed, the government agency said, “the IC crew said that they interpreted the collision as resistance from an air brake problem, pulled forward, and reversed again. This movement ended about three minutes after the first collision in a second, lower-speed collision with the Amtrak locomotive.” The collisions resulted in minor injuries to two Amtrak employees and two riders, the NTSB said, noting that no other injuries were reported. Visibility conditions at the time of the collision were daylight and clear; the weather was 41°F with no precipitation, according to the agency.

The Amtrak train was southbound from Chicago to New Orleans, a route that includes other railroads’ track, the NTSB reported. The main track in the area of the accident is owned and operated by IC and was equipped with a PTC (positive train control) system; train movements were coordinated by CN dispatch in Homewood, Ill. “Shortly before the collision, the Amtrak train advanced past a restricting signal into the block where the IC train was switching,” the NTSB said. “A restricting signal allows a train to proceed at restricted speed, meaning the crew must be prepared to stop within one-half their range of vision and must not exceed 20 mph (see Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 236.812). The Amtrak crew stopped their train when they observed the IC train ahead.”

According to the NTSB, before the collision the IC crew obtained dispatcher permission to conduct switching operations in the accident area, set out 21 railcars on main track 1, moved south to enter an intermodal yard, and picked up 61 railcars. They then reversed northward and recoupled with the 21 railcars. The conductor directed this coupling movement from the ground, and after coupling, the crew kept shoving north to pick up the conductor with the lead locomotive but collided with the Amtrak train before the locomotive reached him, the NTSB reported.

All aspects of the collision remain under investigation, while the NTSB said it determines the probable cause “with the intent to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar events.”

Parties to the investigation include the Federal Railroad Administration; Tennessee Department of Transportation; Amtrak; CN; American Train Dispatcher Association; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; and International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.

According to the NTSB, the timing between the beginning of an investigation and a probable cause determination and report varies based on the complexity of the investigation and the workload of the agency’s investigators. In general, the NTSB said it tries to complete an investigation within 12 to 24 months, “but these and other factors can greatly affect that timing.”

• NTSB Determines Probable Cause for BNSF M/w Employee Fatality
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• NTSB: Railroads Must Equip Rail Maintenance Vehicles With Collision Avoidance Technology

The post NTSB Issues Preliminary Report for CN-IC/Amtrak Train Collision appeared first on Railway Age.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) on March 18 approved a $750,000 Rail Industrial Access (RIA) grant to the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative (VPGC) in Rockingham County. Administered by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the funding will be used by VPGC to expand its Grain Unloading Station in Linville, Va.

With a total capital investment of $85 million, the project, DRPT says, “will increase the amount of grain the facility can move by rail. The CTB-approved expansion will double VPGC’s current railcar usage to approximately 1,000 annually. It also will reduce truck traffic including on nearby I-81, by an additional estimated 1,700 trips each year, while creating six new jobs.” The rail component includes $1.5 million in track construction, served by the Chesapeake & Western Railway, connecting to the Norfolk Southern (NS) main line.

“This project is great news for Virginia’s farmers and the Shenandoah Valley,” said DRPT Director Mariia Zimmerman. “By expanding rail access at this facility, we are helping to lower costs and improve access for local poultry growers while keeping hundreds of trucks off our roads. It is a win for agriculture, a win for the economy, and a win for communities across the Commonwealth.”

“We appreciate DRPT’s partnership in this project,” said Grant Martin, Vice President of Live and Feed with VPGC. “With this funding, we can move more grain by rail, take trucks off the road, and provide stronger, more reliable support to our member farms across the Shenandoah Valley.”

Founded in 2004 when local farmers united to preserve turkey production, VPGC has grown to nearly 200 member farms, up from about 130 at its inception. The cooperative applied for the RIA grant to support track construction and improvements at the Linville facility.

VPGC opened their Grain Unloading Station in 2008 to support a future feed milling facility. While construction of the feed mill was delayed, “growing demand now makes expanded rail infrastructure essential to support feed production and the long-term success of member farms,” DRPT noted.

The post Virginia DRPT: $750,000 to Increase Rail Access for Poultry Growers appeared first on Railway Age.

So it was, following a dark night highway-rail grade crossing accident, that the train’s conductor swore under oath he was waving a lantern “back and forth” prior to the automobile operator ignoring the lantern and driving onto the tracks in front of the locomotive. The case is decided in favor of the railroad, with the conductor later commenting to the railroad attorney, “I’m glad I wasn’t asked if the lantern was lighted.” And so it is that there are truths and whole truths.

Upon being appointed Surface Transportation Board (STB) chairperson by POTUS 47 on Jan. 20, 2025, Republican Patrick J. Fuchs, with unanimous peer support, promised an agency providing the public with whole truths. He later told Railway Age his focus was “getting all the facts and elevating transparency in agency decision making.”

That unanimous bipartisan commitment to tell-it-all was extended by a March 18 STB decision (Docket F.D. 36873; download below) directed at Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS), who are expected by April 30 to file a merger application to create the first U.S. Atlantic-to-Pacific railroad. The STB is requiring of UP and NS the same full disclosure—whole truths—as the Department of Justice (DOJ), under provisions of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, requires of non-railroad merger applicants.

Although the STB has exclusive statutory authority to approve or disapprove railroad mergers, and impose conditions, DOJ may elect to file comments, which the Board considers along with those of other parties.

The STB’s March 18 order follows a March 3 letter from DOJ’s Antitrust Division urging the Board to compel UP and NS to provide, ahead of their April 30-expected merger application, “relevant ordinary course documents.” DOJ identifies them as transaction documents analyzing markets, market shares, competition, competitors, entry into new markets and synergies.

The STB, quoting from DOJ’s letter, said while the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act does not apply to Board proceedings, “access to such documents [which STB otherwise has authority to compel] is imperative in evaluating the potential anticompetitive effects of a proposed merger” and will “ensure a robust record for the Board’s decision making.”

The STB gave UP and NS until April 7 to provide the relevant documents such as produced in-house and by outside advisors. This gives the Board some three weeks to review them prior to UP and NS refiling a merger application—a prior one having been rejected Jan. 16 as “incomplete” (without prejudice to refiling). Should the STB accept a refiled application within a 30-day review period, it will set a procedural schedule, including public and stakeholder comment periods, with a decision expected within 12-15 months.

Although UP and NS responded they “are not refusing” to produce such documents and would “conduct reasonable searches,” they raised concern over producing “highly sensitive internal company documents.”

The concern may be that the documents sought may conflict with documents merger applicants typically provide the Board. When predicting future events, conflicting estimates are common, but it is data most beneficial to the desired outcome that is supplied.

To this concern, the Board said that while some of the sought documents may be “highly sensitive,” applicants may designate them “confidential” or “highly confidential” and they would be shielded by a protective order.

The STB said it is “appropriate” to demand these documents “given the proposed transaction’s size and significance, and because the transaction is the first to be assessed under the 2001 merger rules. Moreover, the Board finds that these documents will assist it in determining whether the proposed transaction is likely to have the effects attributed to it by applicants and whether the transaction is consistent with the public interest”—truths vs. whole truths.

The documents sought, said the STB, “are likely to provide valuable insight into the proposed transaction’s effects because they reflect real-time business decisions and forecasts concerning the merging parties’ operations, and views of past, present and future market conditions [and] may be more probative … than self-serving statements’ provided to support a merger application.”

Although this unanimous decision of three Board members—Fuchs, fellow Republican Michelle A. Schultz and Democrat Karen J. Hedlund—was silent on the source, it clearly reflects in tone and substance former President Ronald Reagan—“trust, but verify.”

Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner is author of “Railroads & Economic Regulation,” available from Simmons-Boardman Books, 800-228-9670. 

The post STB to UP and NS: ‘We Trust, But Verify’ appeared first on Railway Age.

Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. plans to construct a 93-mile railroad from Mary River to Steensby Port, in remote Nunavut, Canada, to increase production and the lifespan of the Mary River ore mine, the company and local media report.

“This is a defining moment for the Mary River Project,” Jowdat Waheed, acting chief executive officer for Baffinland, said in a news release announcing that the proposed railroad can proceed and has received all key regulatory authorizations.

The railroad will allow Baffinland to increase iron ore production to 22 million tons per year from the current 4.2 million tons and extend the mine’s life until 2050 and beyond, Peter Akman, head of communications for Baffinland, told the Nunatsiaq News. It will also reduce truck traffic, dust, and emissions.

A railroad was part of Baffinland’s original site proposal for Mary River and was approved by the Canadian government in 2012. Baffinland initially abandoned its plans for the railway but dusted them off a decade later. Construction should start this year and take about three years.

The railway will include three mainline passing sidings, arrival and departure tracks at Steensby Port and the mine, two tunnels, 42 bridges, and at least 258 culverts, Baffinland said. Plans also include new locomotives and cars, maintenance buildings, and ore and freight loading/unloading facilities at the mine and port.

—M.T. Burkhart

The post New Railroad in Nunavut appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

In a letter to SSL riders, former President Michael Noland expressed his excitement about the completion of the 8-mile line extension, which will run from Gateway Station in North Hammond, with station stops at 173rd Street in Hammond, Ridge Road in Munster, and at the Munster/Dyer border. Passenger service will officially begin on the new Monon Corridor at 11:45 am on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

Noland also announced that he is retiring after 43 years in the railroad industry. March 15 was his last day leading the SSL. “Working on the SSL over the past 12 years has been the highlight of my career, and I’m leaving at a time when I am very excited about the railroad’s future,” he wrote. Former Tri-Rail CEO David Dech has been appointed as SSL’s third President in the railroad’s nearly 50-year history, beginning March 16.

“Dave is the perfect person to lead the railroad into the future and is highly regarded as one of the best leaders in the entire U.S. railroad industry. Dave has the passion, drive, and ability to lead this railroad into the future, and I can’t wait to see what improvements he brings to the system. Dave will lead an incredible team of employees who work tirelessly to bring you the best possible commuter rail service. In my opinion, we have the best employees in the entire railroad industry,” wrote Noland.

Noland was hired by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) Board of Trustees in October 2014. “The Board entrusted me with a mission: deliver the elements of their recently approved 20-Year Strategic Plan. The two key elements of the plan were double tracking the 26-mile section of the main line railroad from Gary to Michigan City and extending the service on the West Lake Corridor with a line extension from north Hammond to the Munster/Dyer border. Though the timeline for the plan was 20 years, it needed, in my opinion, to be done in 20 minutes. The plan was bold, it was exciting, and it made perfect sense. The plan was, as Daniel Burnham once advocated for, ‘a big plan.’ In early 2015, we implemented limited stop service from South Bend on a train we named the ‘Sunrise Express.’ The Sunrise Express reduced travel time from South Bend to and from Chicago to less than 2 hours, saving over 30 minutes of travel time. The future of improved service for the railroad was captured in the Sunrise Express and was the predecessor for the start of the Double Track project in early 2016. Support for both these projects grew, often exponentially, and these projects were approved for $1.6B in funding. This funding came from local, county, state, and federal sources and was achieved with leadership support on a bipartisan basis from our northwest Indiana delegation, both state and federal,” Noland wrote in his March 13 letter to SSL riders.

Noland’s full letter to SSI riders is available here.

The post SSL Announces Opening of Monon Corridor Service; Noland Retires as President appeared first on Railway Age.

North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 6,849,595 carloads and intermodal units for the 10-week period ending March 14, 2026, the AAR reported March 18. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 4,977,338 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.9% from the same point last year; in Canada, 1,599,541 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.9%; and in Mexico, 272,716 carloads and intermodal units, up 18.3%.

Results were similar through the first nine weeks of this year (ending March 7, 2026).

For the week ending March 14, 2026, U.S. Class I railroads carried 508,737 carloads and intermodal units, rising 1.1% from the same week last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 228,299 carloads, up 1.0% from 2025, and 280,438 containers and trailers, up 1.1% from 2025.

Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase for the week ending March 14, 2026, compared with the same week in 2025. They included grain, up 3,890 carloads, to 25,060; chemicals, up 1,837 carloads, to 34,966; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,088 carloads, to 10,688. Commodity groups that posted declines included coal, down 3,618 carloads, to 57,825; metallic ores and metals, down 1,584 carloads, to 17,987; and forest products, down 684 carloads, to 7,816.

For the first 10 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,222,692 carloads, a 5.0% increase from the same point last year; and 2,754,646 intermodal units, dipping 0.5% from last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending March 14, 2026, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 330,589 carloads, down 0.8% from the same week last year, and 368,448 intermodal units, up 1.7% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 699,037 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.5%.

For the week ending March 14, 2026, Canadian railroads reported 88,636 carloads, a 4.7% decline, and 72,706 intermodal units, a 0.5% drop-off compared with the same week last year.

Mexican railroads reported 13,654 carloads for the week ending March 14, 2026, falling 4.6% from the same point last year, and 15,304 intermodal units, gaining 31.8%.

The post AAR: North American Rail Volume Up Slightly Through Week 10 appeared first on Railway Age.

Lonchamp brings extensive global financial expertise across complex, multinational organizations. Most recently, he served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for North America Low Voltage Transformer and Global Field Devices at Schneider Electric in Boston. During Lonchamp’s career he has held various finance roles including credit manager, controller, business partner, and CFO. The roles have spanned front office, business unit and corporate levels across multiple geographies including Europe, Middle East (Dubai), Asia (Hong Kong) and the U.S. (Boston).

With a strong background in transformational change, Lonchamp will bring “valuable global and financial expertise to the growing portfolio of Keolis’ public transportation clients in the U.S. and Canada,” the company noted. At Schneider Electric, he held several international leadership roles including CFO for Hong Kong and Macau and in the UAE he served as Finance Business Partner, Energy, Oil, and Gas for Gulf Countries and Pakistan. Early in his tenure he also guided credit management activities across more than 20 countries spanning EMEA and LATAM.

“Matthieu’s global perspective and proven ability to lead financial strategy within complex organizations make him a tremendous addition to our leadership team in North America,” said Keolis North America President and CEO Brad Thomas. “His experience driving transformation and financial performance across large-scale operations will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our business and deliver greater value to our public agency partners.”

Throughout his career, Lonchamp has been closely involved in large-scale organizational transformation, digital modernization, and financial performance improvement initiatives. He has a record of helping divisions within global companies navigate operational complexity while maintaining strong governance and financial discipline.

Lonchamp’s appointment, the company says, “reflects Keolis’ continued focus on operational excellence and sustainable growth as the company expands its portfolio across the region.” In the past year, Keolis has doubled its footprint in Canada and since 2024 has doubled operations in the U.S.

The post Keolis Appoints Lonchamp as EVP of Finance appeared first on Railway Age.

On March 16, PEB 254, the second POTUS 47-appointed board assigned to the long-running contract dispute between a coalition of five unions and LIRR, “like an earlier appointed board of experts, recommended raises and retroactive pay for rail workers,” reported the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), which is part of the coalition, along with the Transportation Communications Union; Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

According to BLET, the Board wrote in its report: “Based on the foregoing analysis of both the respective wage offers and the Carriers work rule proposals, we find that the Organizations’ (the unions) Final Offer is the most reasonable offer.” The Board noted, the union said, that “…the Carrier’s insistence on all of its work rule changes, in our view, makes its Final Offer the less reasonable of the two, regardless of the respective GWIs.”

The five-union coalition on Jan. 12 reported requesting the second PEB, noting that members “have been without a pay raise” since April 2022.

“Although more than half all LIRR union workers have already settled a contract that guaranteed 9.5% in wage increases over three years, the five remaining unions have held out for more, arguing that their raises should be more in line with what other railroads in the United States have offered workers in recent years, including Amtrak and Philadelphia’s Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, or SEPTA,” according to an Aug. 19, 2025 Newsday report.

The LIRR-labor coalition contract dispute began National Mediation Board-sponsored mediation in February 2024. The NMB on Aug. 18, 2025, released the parties from mediation, triggering a 30-day cooling off period under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), ending at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 18. The labor coalition requested the first PEB at that time.

The first PEB “recommended raises of 14% over four years along with other improvements,” according to the coalition.

That recommendation, Newsday reported Jan. 9, 2026, “was closer to the 16%, four-year contract sought by the unions than it was to the 9.5%, three-year deal offered by the MTA.”

“We felt compelled to request a second PEB because of LIRR and the MTA’s refusal to bargain in good faith,” said Gilman Lang, the General Chairman for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen at LIRR, at that time.

Under the rules of the RLA, the PEB “was charged with selecting the most reasonable last offer; either the last offer of the unions in its entirety, or the last offer of the Long Island Rail Road, which is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority,” BLET reported March 17. “After comparing the two offers, the board selected the offer presented by the unions.”

Now, if no agreement is reached in the next 60 days, the unions would be allowed to strike as soon as May 16 under RLA rules or the MTA could lock out its rail labor workforce on that date, according to BLET.

The labor coalition on March 16 sent a letter to MTA urging it “to return to the bargaining table to reach a voluntary agreement using the PEB’s recommendations as a foundation for a settlement,” according to BLET.

“Let’s get back to the bargaining table and agree to a fair settlement that takes away the threat of a disruption in service,” said BLET Vice President Kevin Sexton speaking on behalf of the labor coalition.

MTA Chief Labor and Employee Relations Officer Anita Miller told Long Island Life & Politics: “We are disappointed, but not surprised, that this [POTUS 47]-appointed Board rejected the MTA’s common-sense proposal for a new LIRR labor contract. These unions have hidden from the normal give and take of collective bargaining. They are the highest-paid railroad workers in the nation but have refused the same significant wage increases the vast majority of their colleagues accepted – and repeatedly refused to negotiate.”

According to the media outlet, “Miller said the MTA could initiate a ‘needless’ work stoppage if the coalition does not begin to negotiate in good faith, which would ‘only hurt both riders and workers. In the meantime, we will take every available step to mitigate the impact of a potential strike on LIRR customers. And should these unions decide to come to the table in good faith, we have been, and are, ready to go.’”

“What we’ve been asking for since negotiations commenced more than two years ago is exceedingly reasonable, essentially the status quo,” said Mike Sullivan, General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalman. “In stark contrast, the employer has been seeking a concessionary contract that doesn’t keep pace with the high cost of living in our metropolitan area.”

“This outcome confirms that our fight has been grounded in facts, equity, and the best interests of our members,” noted Shaun O’Connor, General Chairman of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

“The Board’s report confirms that labor acted responsibly throughout this process and deserves a fair contract,” added Jeffrey Klein, General Chairman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

“Our labor coalition and management both made presentations to the Board,” said Nick Peluso, National Vice President of the Transportation Communications Union. “The Board members reviewed the facts, and the facts supported labor. It’s now the time for our employer and [New York] Governor [Kathy] Hochul to show some support for the workers and the commuters that rely on the LIRR. Let’s get this done and keep the trains running.”

Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner provided the following explanation of the commuter rail provisions of the RLA:

“Major Disputes on commuter railroads, including Amtrak commuter operations, are resolved under distinct procedures. Amtrak intercity passenger operations are subject to the RLA’s freight-railroad provisions. 

“The NMB, a commuter rail authority, labor union, or a governor of a state through which the commuter railroad operates may request creation of a PEB. If appointed, there is imposed a 120-day status quo (no strikes; no lockouts) requirement.

“If, within the first 60 days, there is no resolution, the NMB must conduct a public hearing at which parties to the dispute testify.

“If a voluntary agreement is not reached by the end of the second 60-day period, the commuter authority, labor union, or governor may request a second PEB be created.

“If a second PEB is created, a new 30-day status quo period commences. If, by the end of that period, a voluntary settlement is not reached, the parties present to the second PEB a ‘last, best and final offer,’ with the PEB selecting, without modification, the one it finds most reasonable. The PEB’s selection is not binding. If a settlement still is not reached based upon the second PEB’s non-binding recommendations, a strike, unilateral promulgation of carrier-desired changes, or an employer lockout may commence. As with Major Disputes on freight railroads, the RLA at that point has run its course. Congress then may legislate settlement terms.

“Should labor commence a work stoppage, striking employees are denied, for the duration of the strike, unemployment benefits payable under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA). Should the commuter railroad reject the non-binding recommendations, precipitating a work stoppage, the commuter railroad may not take advantage of a carrier strike insurance plan.”

Click here for a mediation overview and FAQ from the NMB.

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TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali on March 17 reported that the agency has formally filed for conciliation with CUPE Local 2 through Ontario’s Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. The union members, who are responsible for installing and maintaining critical subway, streetcar, and bus systems at TTC, include electricians, substations electricians, radio technicians, cable technicians, signal technicians, relay technicians, transit control technicians, SCADA technicians, overhead linespersons, and power systems controllers.

“While the current collective agreement with this bargaining unit does not expire until the end of the month, entering conciliation at this stage is intended to support a timely and constructive resolution to negotiations,” Lali said. “There is no impact on customers, service, or safety as a result of this step. Transit operations continue as normal.”

Conciliation, he noted, provides an opportunity for TTC and the union to work with an independent third party “to advance collective bargaining in a fair and efficient manner.”

“TTC remains focused on achieving an agreement that is fair to employees, reflects fiscal realities, and maintains operational continuity,” said Lali, noting that “[c]onstructive dialogue through conciliation is viewed as the most effective path to a mutually acceptable outcome.”

According to the Ministry of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, if conciliation results in an agreement—meaning if the employer and the union settle their differences concerning the terms of the collective agreement during conciliation—the conciliation officer reports the results to the Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. A ratification vote needs to be held before the new agreement can have effect, it noted. The union and the employer must also file a copy of the agreement with the Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, as required by the Labor Relations Act.

If the union and the employer don’t reach an agreement during conciliation, the conciliation officer will report the outcome to the Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, and the Minister will send a written notice to the union and the employer. “Typically, this notice will inform the parties that a board of conciliation will not be appointed,” according to the Ministry of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “This is commonly known as a ‘no-board.’ Less commonly, the notice will inform the parties that the process to appoint a board of conciliation (a three-person panel that attempts to help the parties agree on the matters referred to the board of conciliation) has been started.

“After the minister sends the notice, the union and the employer continue to have a duty to bargain in good faith and attempt to reach an agreement. Until a collective agreement has been concluded, the union and the employer have different options depending on the circumstances, including the following:

• “If the parties are able to engage in a legal strike or lock-out, the release of the ‘no-board’ notice begins the countdown to the date on which either the employer or the union could begin a legal work stoppage. See sections 79 and 122 of the LRA for rules related to the release of no-board notices, conciliation board reports, and communication by the minister.

• “If the parties are negotiating their first collective agreement, the union or the employer can apply to the Ontario Labor Relations Board to direct them to interest arbitration to settle the collective agreement in certain circumstances. The Board will determine whether to make that direction.

• “If the parties are not able, or have a limited ability, to strike or lock out, the release of the ‘no-board’ notice in a compulsory interest arbitration or essential services framework generally enables them to proceed to interest arbitration to resolve the dispute, where applicable.

• “Parties may agree to participate in voluntary interest arbitration. Employers may request a last-offer vote.”

For more details, click here.

• Eglinton Crosstown Opens Feb. 8
• Toronto Orders New Subway Train Fleet
• TTC Board OKs 2026 Operating, Capital Budgets
  

The post Labor Updates: LIRR, TTC appeared first on Railway Age.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is initiating a Safety Management Inspection (SMI) of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) State Safety Oversight (SSO) program for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) rail transit system. The aim, it reported March 17, is “to identify the root causes of longstanding deficiencies in IDOT’s safety oversight.”

“CTA operates one of the largest combined heavy rail and bus transit systems in the United States, providing more than a million passenger trips each weekday across the City of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs, supported by a workforce of more than 11,000 employees,” the FTA wrote in a March 17 letter to IDOT Secretary Gia Biagi, explaining the basis of the SSI (download below). “Through FTA’s ongoing oversight of Special Directive 23-1, issued to IDOT on October 23, 2023 [to address staffing and other concerns]; FTA’s evaluation of IDOT’s response to FTA’s October 7, 2025 SSO audit; and FTA’s participation in the investigation of recent safety events at CTA, including a worker struck by a train on November 10, 2025, FTA has identified repeated and persistent deficiencies in IDOT’s oversight performance, including limited onsite presence, weak accident investigation governance, ineffective corrective action plan management, and minimal use of enforcement authority.”

FTA’s Office of Transit Safety and Oversight will conduct the safety investigation and assess how IDOT performs “critical safety oversight functions,” such as how IDOT:

• “Independently identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes safety risk;
• “Conducts and/or critically reviews safety event investigations, ensuring their sufficiency and thoroughness;
• “Exercises active and informed oversight of CTA’s Roadway Worker Protection (RWP) program;
• “Critically reviews and, where necessary, challenges CTA’s analyses and conclusions to ensure that safety risk is appropriately identified and mitigated;
• “Verifies the implementation and effectiveness of corrective actions; and
• “Takes timely and appropriate action to intervene when CTA’s safety performance is inadequate.”

The FTA, in its announcement, said it “will determine, based on the results of the inspection, whether additional enforcement actions, such as the issuance of additional Special Directives or other enforcement actions, are warranted.”

The FTA on March 17 also reported issuing Special Directive 26-1 (download below), requiring IDOT “to address known deficiencies in its oversight of CTA.”

“IDOT has not made sufficient progress in addressing long-term issues, including FTA’s findings from a recent audit,” the government agency said. “These deficiencies have allowed critical safety concerns to continue.”

“[T]o accelerate reforms of IDOT’s oversight of CTA,” FTA said the new Special Directive will: 

• “Incorporate the eight findings from FTA’s safety audit of IDOT as immediately enforceable findings under this directive;
• “Establish specific required actions and expedited completion timeframes for IDOT to correct these deficiencies; and
• “Issue three additional findings and corresponding required actions where FTA has determined that further direction and enforcement are necessary to address ongoing safety risk at CTA.”

Meanwhile, CTA on March 10 reported submitting its Revised Security Enhancement Plan to the FTA, which includes “a 75% increase in monthly system policing hours, aggressive crime reduction targets, and expanded social service support—bolstered by early data showing that crime reduction strategies implemented over the past three months are working.”

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Last week, NJ Transit and Amtrak celebrated a major milestone with the opening of the first track on the new Portal North Bridge in Kearny, N.J. On March 12, the first press/ceremonial train loaded with area dignitaries traveled across the new structure. On Monday, March 16, one track officially went into service, the first operational step in transferring service away from the current 116-year-old swing bridge. 

The original Portal bridge has long been a source of delays thanks to issues with its movement and control systems. Located on the busiest segment of the Northeast Corridor between Newark and New York, the bridge sees more than 400 trains daily, representing about 200,000 weekday passengers on Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. With the first track in service, there’s still construction that needs to occur before the second track enters service in the fall of 2027.

The new two-track, high-level, fixed-span Portal North Bridge will eliminate the maintenance headaches inherent in a 116-year-old movable bridge. The project spans 2.44 miles of the Northeast Corridor and includes construction of retaining walls, deep foundations, concrete piers, structural steel bridge spans and rail systems. Demolition of the original Portal Bridge will occur in 2027. 

—Bob Gallegos

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In a contract that spans from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2040, Transdev Canada will be responsible for exo’s train operations, the maintenance of locomotives and passenger cars, as well as the upkeep of yards and maintenance centers.

The contract includes a one-year mobilization period “to ensure a smooth transition from the current provider and two renewal options of two years each.” The current provider will continue to operate the network until June 30, 2027.

This contract is the result of a call for tenders launched in December 2024, conducted through a single-envelope weighted bidding system that included competitive dialogue. This approach is based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria and involves structured discussions with bidders. These exchanges, Transdev says, “allow for the adjustment of certain parameters to better target specific needs and secure the most advantageous proposals.” At the conclusion of this process, the decision to award the contract was ratified by exo’s Board of Directors on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

To ensure the “fairness, rigor, and compliance” of the process, exo engaged several external firms to establish a strict independent framework. This oversight guaranteed the integrity of the procurement stages and the quality of the analyses conducted throughout the call for tenders, the agency noted.

“This partnership represents a key milestone for exo. Transdev Canada’s recognized expertise will allow us to continue our efforts in maintaining the reliability, quality, and efficiency of our services, while ensuring long-term savings aligned with our 2026–2028 optimization plan. We are excited to work together to better meet the current and future needs of our passengers” said exo Executive Director Marc Rousseau.

“We are honored by this partnership with exo, which aligns with Transdev Canada’s long-term vision for mobility in the region. Through this mandate, we intend to contribute responsibly to the public transit ecosystem, drawing on our expertise as well as the know-how of the teams working on the ground every day,” added Arthur Nicolet, CEO of Transdev Canada.

MARTA’s new, better Breeze fare payment system goes live Saturday, March 28, 2026, and features flexible payment options, modern, touchscreen ticket vending machines, and more secure faregates for a safer transit system.

The new, better Breeze system will have tap to pay where customers can tap a bank card or mobile wallet directly at the faregate or validator to pay for their ride. This type of payment system is used worldwide at restaurants, retailers, and other transit systems.

The better Breeze system also features new Breeze cards and a new app. Beginning March 28, 2026, customers will be able to purchase a new Breeze card, download the Breeze app to manage their card, and use the tap to pay feature to pay with a bank card or mobile wallet.

From March 28 to May 2, 2026, both the old and new Breeze systems will be active to allow customers time to learn the new system and switch to the payment option that works best for them. During the customer transition, riders can still use their old Breeze cards and the Breeze Mobile 2.0 app at any existing old fare equipment, but old ticket vending machines will be turned off, and no fare may be added to old fare media.

System-wide ridership for February 2026 decreased 2% or by 11,862 unlinked trips per weekday from February 2025, SEPTA recently reported. “It’s important to remember that February 2025 experienced a bump in ridership thanks to the Eagles Super Bowl parade,” the agency noted. Ridership in February 2025 increased 8% from February 2024. On average there were 55,634 more trips per day in February 2025 compared to February 2024.

Average daily ridership was 742,075 unlinked passenger trips across all modes which is 4% higher than January 2026.

Weekday ridership dropped to 158,721 on February 23, 2026, due to Winter Storm Hernando. Ridership was also lower on February 16 due to President’s Day and February 17 due to the Lunar New Year and Philadelphia public schools being closed.

Average daily ridership was 742,075 unlinked passenger trips across all modes which is 4% higher than January 2026.

Metro ridership increased by approximately 2% or 5,556 trips relative to this time last year. This is primarily driven by a 4% increase or 8,988 average weekday trips on the B, L, and M. Trolley ridership continues to recover from the tunnel closure.

Regional Rail ridership declined by 18% or 15,697 trips per day relative to this time last year. “But again, February 2025 was high thanks to the parade and ridership in 2026 was impacted by the major winter storm and two holidays,” SEPTA added.

BART’s transformative Next Generation Fare Gates Project is being recognized by two prestigious national organizations. The American Public Works Association named the fare gates as its winner of the 2026 Public Works Project Award and the International Partnering Institute announced the gates as its 2026 Collaborative Project of the Year. In August 2025, BART completed the replacement of 715 gates in all 50 stations across a system that spans five counties. The project was completed four months ahead of schedule.

“No other transit agency in the world has fare gates quite like these,” said BART Assistant General Manager for Infrastructure Delivery and head of the fare gates project Sylvia Lamb. “This project is a true example of a BART-wide effort with every department contributing to the successful installation of new fare gates at every station.”

There are several examples of how Next Generation Fare Gates have transformed the rider experience:

• “The number of riders who tell BART they’ve witnessed fare evasion has dropped more than 50% compared with before the start of installation.
• “New gates and BART Police Department’s increased visible presence are critical parts of a comprehensive approach to rider safety that has resulted in a 41% drop in BART’s overall crime rate.
• “Hours spent on corrective maintenance inside BART stations for vandalism, graffiti, and broken items decreased 961 hours in the first six months after all stations had new gates.
• “Early indications are the gates are responsible for BART fare revenue growing by about $10 million annually through reduced fare evasion.”

The gates feature a unique door locking mechanism that makes their swing barriers very hard to push through, jump over, or maneuver under. The overall fare gate array height (gate, console, integrated barrier) forms a barrier of 72 inches minimum to deter fare evasion.

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UP earlier this month was part of Cook County’s groundbreaking for the $99.1 million Touhy Avenue Project (map above; downloadable fact sheet below), which it reported via social media “will include a new bridge constructed over our tracks and the planned I-490 Tollway to improve access to O’Hare and make travel safer for drivers, transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

The purpose of project is to “alleviate congestion, enhance safety and accommodate the new tollway construction,” according to the Cook County government, whose Department of Transportation and Highways is collaborating with the Illinois DOT, Illinois Tollway, Elk Grove Village, and the Cities of Chicago and Des Plaines on the project. This will be achieved, it said, by elevating Touhy Avenue over the planned Tollway and the UP tracks, realigning Old Higgins Road and Mt. Prospect Road, and improving the intersection of Touhy Avenue and Elmhurst Road. “These improvements aim to facilitate better traffic flow and connectivity in the region, ultimately contributing to a more efficient and safer transportation network,” according to the government. The stretch of Touhy Avenue between Elmhurst Road and Mount Prospect Road is said to carry more than 32,000 vehicles per day.

According to the government, Touhy Avenue serves as a major corridor for trucks, providing access to the largest industrial district in the Chicago metropolitan area, located north and west of O’Hare International Airport. It noted that the project will also improve access to airport amenities, including the new northeast air cargo facility, employee parking, remote parking, and car rental facilities, and provide access to the new I-490 Tollway.

The project is expected to wrap up at the end of 2027.

“Safety is the heart of everything we do, and this project puts it at the forefront by removing risks associated with at‑grade crossings while improving the efficiency of our rail network,” said Liisa Lawson Stark, Vice President–Public Affairs for UP. “UP would like to say, ‘thank you’ to our partners—Cook County Government, Illinois Tollway, the Illinois Department of Transportation and all the local communities involved—for making this long-desired project a reality.”

• STB OK’s UP Arizona Rail Line Project
• TD Cowen: Takeaways From the Next-Gen Freight Rail Conference
• UP-NS Release Merger-Application Refiling Date

NS on March 16 reported that applications are now open for its 2026 Thoroughbred Scholars program, which awards scholarships to children of NS employees. Since launching in 2022, the program has awarded nearly $4.5 million in scholarships across the Class I railroad’s 22-state network.

According to NS, 100 students pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited two- or four-year institution, including vocational-technical programs that are at least one semester in length, will receive a $2,500-per-year scholarship, renewable for up to four years.

Three students will receive special scholarships of $10,000 per year for up to four years. Supporting NS’ “strategic priorities of technology, leadership development, and inclusion,” the awards are:

1. NS HBCU Scholar: For a student planning to attend a Historically Black College or University.
2. NS STEM Scholar: For a student pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
3. NS Community Scholar: For a student with a strong record of community leadership and volunteer service.

Applications close April 20, and all applicants will be notified in June. NS reported that all existing and newly awarded scholarships will be “fully honored and not affected” by NS’s proposed merger with UP.

• BNSF, CPKC, NS: Accelerating Industrial Development
• NS, Progress Rail Collaborate to Upgrade 96 Locomotives
• Building Successful Industrial Development Spaces

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Wabtec has announced that Sameer Gaur has been named as President of Global Freight Services. He will lead the company’s global services franchise, overseeing the reliability and performance of locomotive fleets in more than 30 countries. His multi-dimensional perspective, Wabtec says, “will be instrumental as we streamline our operations and enhance our partnerships with customers around the globe.”

Prior to his current appointment, Gaur served as Group President for Global Transit Services based in Paris. In this capacity, he led international teams serving approximately 800 transit operators across 40 countries, “driving a robust growth strategy centered on innovation and best-in-class service.” His leadership was instrumental in scaling the transit business in India and strengthening the North American transit vertical.

With 29-year career spanning three continents, Gaur offers a comprehensive perspective on the rail industry. His experience ranges from foundational roles at CN to executive P&L leadership at GE Rail Service. At GE Transportation, he was a key architect of the freight service franchise, building the modernization business and leading Product Management before transitioning to reshape Wabtec’s transit portfolio.

Gaur holds an MBA from McGill University, a master’s in economics from The Delhi School of Economics and a post-MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management

STV on March 17 announced the promotions of Scott Grogan and Paul Picciano to Vice President “strengthening the firm’s ability to deliver complex rail and transit vehicle programs nationwide.” With federal transit funding poised to reach $14.6 billion in fiscal year 2026, the appointments, the firm says, “position STV to lead the modernization of major transit systems nationwide.”

“Paul and Scott strengthen our ability to guide agencies through the most significant fleet reinvestment cycle in a generation,” said James Martin, PE, PMP, Senior Vice President and Head of the National Vehicles Practice at STV. “Their leadership and technical insight help our clients navigate complex procurements, integrate new technologies and bring safer, more reliable vehicles into service faster.” 

Grogan has more than 35 years of experience in engineering operations and has led multimillion-dollar public rail transit projects in major metropolitan areas across Texas. Based in Pearland, his expertise spans rail operations, light rail vehicle operations and maintenance, major procurement initiatives, capital project delivery and the design and oversight of critical track, signals, communication and electrification. He holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Kilgore College.

Picciano brings more than 20 years of experience delivering complex rail vehicle programs across their full lifecycle. Based in STV’s Boston office, he has advanced the firm’s vehicle practice through his work with state transportation agencies, airports and multimodal transit systems. In his expanded role, Picciano will lead vehicle procurements for major modernization programs. He earned a Bachelor of Science in architectural engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

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This is the fifth in a five-part series about railroad growth coming from truck conversions contemplated in Union Pacific’s Dec. 19, 2025 application sent to the Surface Transportation Board to acquire Norfolk Southern, focused on UP’s proposed solution to enhance competition for shippers who use UP-CSX and BNSF-NS Carload routes today.

In Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3  and Part 4 of this series, I established the challenges and probabilities of truck conversions from the new proposed UP-NS network and the importance of new rail-to-rail competition to improve an industry on the ropes. We’ve had three years of stagnant truck rates while rail rates increased at above-inflation levels. The North American rail industry has not grown since 2017 and has consistently lost market share to truck and other modes since 2018. Why? In Part 4, I offered there’s inadequate intra-rail competition and not enough affordable oversight by the STB. Customers have been bitten by years of irregular service, reducing their business competitiveness; faced unchecked rail pricing vs. competitive rates in other modes; and are faced with one of the most non-customer-friendly transportation business processes. Railroads have too much leverage; customers don’t have enough rail optionality.

Committed Gateway Pricing (CGP) is a disingenuous way to maintain competition for shippers using BNSF-NS or UP-CSX routes following the transaction for a limited amount of time. I offer a more appropriate name for the program: Temporary Tariff Pricing (TTP). TTP doesn’t sound as positive for the target audience of the merger marketing pitch as to why this transaction is a good thing for the industry and should be allowed to progress. That’s the double-edge sword of marketing. It literally cuts both ways to the point where we can transition to false labels.

The CGP program proposed in the UP-NS merger application represents a nationalized variant of the proportional rate concept pioneered in the UP I-5 Proportional Rate Agreement (I-5A). The I-5A was negotiated as part of the 1996 Union Pacific-Southern Pacific Merger Settlement Agreement (which the STB in June 2025 revisited)—rooted in the market dynamics created by the 1995 Burlington Northern + Santa Fe merger, which established BNSF as the single serving carrier in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada corridor for the California markets. (It also addressed the U.S. Southwest and Mexico markets). While the CGP and I-5A mechanisms both use incumbent carrier rates to establish gateway pricing for interline partners, they differ substantially in geographic scope, rate granularity, market competitiveness and—most critically for shipper planning—durability.

The I-5A program, per UP’s STB submission material, has been a success in that UP has been able to effectively compete with and offer an alternative to BNSF in these markets for business open to UP. The southern points do have to be open to UP for UP to be a competitive option. This is important to understand. Significant amounts of business are handled by BNSF to and from its northern points and handed to and from UP at Portland, Ore. for UP to move those shipments among its origins and destinations, mostly in California. The program is complicated and not always well understood by BNSF nor UP Commercial personnel.

The program effectively creates a real time market “ceiling” for BNSF rates to points open to UP where UP can compete with and provide a service alternative to BNSF service if BNSF rates or service south of Portland are deemed unacceptable. This is by design: The intent of the I-5A wasn’t to create new competition but maintain existing. Last, in addition to the I-5A being a provision with expiration date, any new facilities located in the I-5A area are also subject to this agreement—two important differentiations from CGP.

The UP-NS proposed CGP program differs from the I-5A in several key areas that make the CGP program a substantially less competitive alternative for shippers and does not maintain current competition, per Table 1.0:

Though most people I’ve reviewed this with focus on the durability issue, I believe the rate calculus is more important. Early in this article, I labeled this program Temporary Tariff Pricing. Yes, the program is temporary, but the pricing is close to tariff levels at the 70th percentile, where little competitive traffic moves. Most rail traffic will move in the 20th to 40th rate percentile. Volume shippers get discounts. Most of the traffic moves below the arithmetic mean because price/volume distributions are skewed left of the median or 50th percentile. If the intent is to enhance competition, more favorable pricing should be given to this traffic.

Why is something like a competitive CGP program important? For shippers using BNSF-NS or UP-CSX routes, over time, UP will favor business on its lines and seek profit-neutral equivalency for impacted freight not solely on its lines. What does that mean? It’s easy: If UP is making $1,500 profit on a UP-NS move to the same geographic market, like Houston to Baltimore, for a similar UP-CSX move where UP must interchange that freight at a gateway, UP will price the move to the gateway as close to the $1,500 profit equivalency target as it can. Using real numbers, if UP makes $1,500 on a new UPNS move, and $750 on the CSX move to an interchange location, UP will increase the pricing on the CSX move above market to get to $1,500 profit.

“Rail 201” in commercial geographic market pricing: Be profit-neutral to alternatives. The CSX move to Baltimore becomes $750 more expensive, and the shipper who doesn’t have an option suffers.

Today, the North American rail network consists of three duopolies. One duopoly in the West (BNSF and UP), one duopoly in the East (CSX and NS), and one duopoly in Canada (CN and CPKC). In Part 4, I developed the analogy of a 900-pound gorilla (UP) becoming a 1,550-pound gorilla (UPNS) competing in the same cage (the East) as the 650-pound CSX gorilla, and at the same time, competing in the same cage (the West) of the 900-pound BNSF gorilla. If BNSF and CSX don’t merge, and the 1,550-pound gorilla is free to dominate both cages, profit-neutral pricing is but one of the tools the 1,550-pound gorilla will use to dominate its cage mates.

While some say that the UP application is the equivalent of a wolf in sheep’s clothing—a predator camouflaged as an innocent sheep—or that CGP is really a Trojan Horse—a camouflaged vessel proposed as a gift but with hidden danger inside—it is understandable to me why the application is drafted as is. Rule #1 in rail negotiations: Don’t negotiate against yourself. The application is from a railroad mindset of leverage and is a part of the negotiation process. Anchoring is a negotiating tactic of setting the bar beyond the minimum of what you’re willing to accept in the goal of attaining an outcome above your walkaway point. This application is a distant anchor from the STB’s 2001 stipulation to enhance competition for future consolidation to occur.

Will this transaction be approved? I have two peers whose opinions and perspectives I have valued deeply during my more-than 20 years of knowing each. One believes the transaction will be rejected, the other that it will be approved. They’re both right based on their reasoning. If the STB evaluates this transaction as submitted based upon the bar set in 2001 that any future Class I consolidation beyond CPKC must enhance rail-to-rail competition, the UP-NS application should be summarily rejected. If this decision is taken out of the hands of the STB and is left to become a political decision based on political influence from the current Administration, it will be approved in some neutered but not significantly degraded form. Unless the application is significantly altered, there isn’t likely a middle-ground outcome.

Size is a quality all its own. The new transcontinental UP, a single carrier connecting the eastern and western U.S., as submitted will have unprecedented rail market power and leverage CSX and BNSF will be unable to match separately. Yes, the new network will be able to convert about 500,000 truckloads to rail over a seven-to-ten-year time frame. Not talked about, the new UPNS behemoth should also take about 650,000 units from CSX and BNSF using its new market power while also extracting significant price from shippers without options.

Competition is crucial in business because it drives innovation, forces efficiency and keeps prices competitive while improving product quality. Rail is a precious commodity, and the benefits of rail (transportation cost savings, access to capacity, environmental benefits, better jobs) are without dispute. Generating new rail-to-rail competition is critical for this industry to alter its course. Adding competition through reciprocal switching among the Class I’s (like in Canada with interswitching) to enhance competition and a Permanent Gateway Pricing (PGP) solution addressing CGP’s deficiencies, could make this transaction a win-win for all parties. Regardless, we can’t keep going down the same path and expect a different outcome. We needed the Staggers Rail Act in 1980 because the industry was ill and needed to be cured. We seem to be approaching a similar fork in the road.

Per the merger rules established in 2001, to be approved, the UP-NS transaction must enhance competition. Most of us want what’s best for our industry and ultimately our country, as our rail system is a key factor in its economic success. Two million truck-to-rail conversions gave me a headache and required some independent math resulting in these five articles. I needed to do the work. I hope others do the work as well.

Rob Russell, Managing Partner, Russell-Kroese Partners (RKP), is a seasoned transportation executive who operates fluidly from the boardroom to the shop floor. A certified six sigma black belt and a LEAN champion, Rob is a proven business leader who has a track record of strategy development, financial planning, business development, operations and performance management to accomplish an organization’s desired goals. RKP partners with railroads, ports, shippers and land developers on growth strategy, market development, competitive positioning and operational execution. They help clients translate complex transportation dynamics into clear, execution-ready business decisions.  You can learn more about RKP at www.russellkroese.com.

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The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) have filed separate letters with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that respectively request all six Class I CEOs to “prioritize fertilizer shipments across [their] networks in response to the global supply disruptions caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” and urge the Board “to carefully scrutinize any future surcharges imposed by rail carriers arising from the economic impacts of the Middle East conflict.”

In a letter dated March 16 (download below) and addressed to Steve Angel of CSX, Keith Creel of Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Katie Farmer of BNSF, Mark George of Norfolk Southern, Tracy Robinson of CN, and Jim Vena of Union Pacific, TFI encouraged the leaders to “work collaboratively with fertilizer shippers to:

• “Ensure that rail capacity—both equipment and crew—is available to meet fertilizer transportation needs;
• “Prioritize the movement of fertilizer shipments from production operations and import ports; and
• “Reduce any first-mile/last-mile service issues, including delayed spots and pulls.”

The association, which has more than 250 members, including some of the Class I’s, explained that the United States “relies on a mix of domestic production and imported product to supply U.S. growers,” and that “a multimodal logistics network moves fertilizer from domestic production site or import port to the farm gate.” Each year, it said, 90 million tons of fertilizer are transported throughout the U.S., with nearly two-thirds of all domestic fertilizer ton-miles moved by railroads. “This makes the fertilizer industry one of the most significant freight rail users, and for this reason TFI member companies value strong, day-to-day operational partnerships with your companies,” the association told the six CEOs in its letter, which also copied Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Patrick Fuchs, STB Chair; Michelle Schultz, STB Vice Chair; Karen Hedlund, STB Member; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Chair, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation; Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, senior Democrat, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation; Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Chair, U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington, senior Democrat, U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; and Ian Jeffries, President and CEO, Association of American Railroads. “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to on-going military operations is having an especially significant impact on global fertilizer trade and the global fertilizer market. Persian Gulf countries are significant producers and exporters of key fertilizers and fertilizer inputs—natural gas, ammonia, urea, phosphate fertilizers and sulfur. Nearly 50% of global exports of sulfur, an important fertilizer as well as a critical input to phosphate fertilizer production, move through this area. The area is also key to producing nitrogen fertilizers, with nearly 30% of globally traded ammonia and as much as half of globally traded urea now unable to reach its intended destinations, impacting farmers around the world including those in the U.S.”

TFI pointed out that “[a]lthough domestic fertilizer supply will be tested due to challenges such as the difficulty of accessing the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. farmer demand will not decrease.” Farmers today, it reported, “are completing their preparations for Spring application and planting season, a time when access to fertilizer supplies is critical to successful crop production. Without reliable and timely fertilizer deliveries, farmers risk missing narrow application windows, jeopardizing crop yields, economic stability in rural communities, and the broader food supply chain.”

The association noted that the Class I railroads “play an important role in ensuring U.S. farmers have access to essential crop nutrients to grow food, feed, fiber, and fuel crops for American families,” and that it appreciates their “attention to the matter.”

In a separate letter, dated March 13 (download below), ACD raised concerns to the three STB members (Fuchs, Schultz and Hedlund) about “potential surcharges that freight rail carriers may impose on shippers in response to the military conflict in the Middle East and resulting economic disruptions.” It said it is particularly concerned “given the history of freight rail carriers leveraging external crises to impose unwarranted charges.” ACD noted that its members, some 400 primarily small chemical distribution industry companies, “have experienced this during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 labor disruptions.”

The United States “relies on rail movement to deliver chemicals, such as chlorine, which is essential to public safety, infrastructure, agriculture, and transportation,” ACD wrote. ”It is the rail carrier’s responsibility to ensure any fuel surcharges are directly tied to fuel costs and that rate increases are posted 20 days in advance,” it pointed out. “The STB must hold them accountable in meeting these standards. ACD is particularly concerned about surcharges on intermodal shipments, as there is a lack of clear regulatory oversight over rail charges assessed on intermodal traffic, which is exempt from STB regulation. This makes it particularly difficult for shippers to dispute charges that may not meet STB regulatory requirements. Moreover, these surcharges are typically in addition to surcharges already imposed by ocean carriers on the same intermodal movement, forcing shippers to pay a second layer of surcharges on the same shipment. It is critical that the Board clarify the regulatory oversight of freight rail charges for intermodal shipments.”

The association noted that the STB “has consistently been an important ally to shippers in the freight rail industry, ensuring freight rail carriers are held accountable and shippers have access to the resources needed to pursue regulatory assistance when appropriate.” It encouraged the Board “to continue using its authority to protect American shippers amid ongoing economic uncertainty.”

Both letters were submitted to the STB as part of non-docketed proceedings.

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We closed 2025 with the best employee safety record in our history, improving 24% from 2024. That progress reflects years of practical, field-driven change across the railroad. The evolution of the brake stick is one example of how front-line railroaders working together can make everyday tasks safer.

Like most of our best ideas, this one started with a challenge. Too many people were climbing up on equipment to hand-spin brakes—and too many were getting hurt doing it. We needed a better way. Climbing on and off railcars to set handbrakes may seem routine, but doing it in rain, snow and heat—often dozens of times a day—carries potential risk that can lead to sprains, slips and even falls.

So, we asked ourselves a simple question: how do we take climbing out of the equation altogether?

We partnered with an industry vendor, and the first design came back quickly. It was an aluminum brake stick, extendable like a household light bulb pole, that enabled employees to set and release hand brakes safely from the ground.

It was a good first attempt, but it was heavy, the locking mechanism created potential pinch points and it didn’t hold up to real railroading.

So, we regrouped and took a different approach that leaned into those closest to the work—we designed it side by side with railroaders who use the tool every day. They told us exactly what worked and what didn’t, and we listened.

Crews asked for something lighter, with no pinch points and a way to keep it nearby between tasks. One of our conductors said, “If you can put magnets on it, I can stick it on the car and grab it when I need it.” That was the moment: Simple, brilliant and straight from the field.

The result is a fiberglass brake stick that’s light, magnetic and easy to use, designed by railroaders and refined through dozens of iterations. It’s not expensive, it’s easy to use and it’s virtually eliminating injuries from climbing on and off cars. That’s a home run.

Since 2023, we’ve purchased more than 11,000 fiberglass brake sticks that are now in use across our network. Using the tool is voluntary, but most realize staying on the ground is easier and safer. Good ideas sell themselves.

To me, the brake stick is proof of what happens when employees and leaders solve problems together. This is what safety in action looks like. When we listen to the people doing the work and improve the tools they count on, we create real solutions that solve real challenges—and continue to build on our industry-leading safety performance so we all go home safe.

The post UP: Practical Teamwork, Real Impact appeared first on Railway Age.

New York City investment firm Ridgewood Infrastructure has acquired a controlling interest in California shortline Sierra Railroad Co., the company announced this spring.

Sierra’s operating subsidiaries include Sierra Northern Railway, which owns and operates the freight rail business and provides switching, storage, and transloading services across approximately 130 miles of track, Ridgewood said in a news release. 

Sierra Northern interchanges with Union Pacific and BNSF Railway, providing customers with enhanced network redundancy, routing flexibility, and connectivity to national rail markets.

“This partnership with Ridgewood marks an important next step for Sierra,” Sierra Northern President and CEO Kennan H. Beard III said in the release.

The transaction also includes Sierra’s subsidiary Railpower, Inc., which owns and operates the only Federal Railroad Administration–approved hydrogen-powered locomotive in the United States, reflecting Sierra’s leadership in rail innovation and zero-emissions locomotive technology.

“Sierra is a high-quality shortline rail platform with strong fundamentals, a diversified customer base, and a strategic footprint in some of California’s most important industrial and agricultural corridors,” Ryan Stewart, partner at Ridgewood, said in the announcement. “Our team brings deep experience owning and operating shortline and other railroad businesses across the United States, and we see meaningful opportunities to build on Sierra’s strong foundation by driving additional freight volumes for both existing customers and new customers, expanding transload capabilities, and supporting innovation across the platform.”

—Michael T. Burkhart

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