Railway Age magazine

Total U.S. weekly rail traffic for Week 39 (ending Sept. 27, 2025) came in at 512,642 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.0% from the prior-year period, according to the AAR. Total carloads were 228,903, up 0.9%, while intermodal volume was 283,739 containers and trailers, up 1.1% from last year.

In comparison, for the week ending Sept. 20, 2025, total U.S. rail traffic was 510,677 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.2% from the prior-year period. Total carloads for the week were 228,609, dipping 1.8%, and intermodal volume was 282,068 containers and trailers, dipping 2.5% from last year.

(UP Photograph)

For the week ending Sept. 27, 2025, five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 2,249 carloads, to 32,825; grain, up 1,710 carloads, to 22,609; and motor vehicles and parts, up 499 carloads, to 17,205. Commodity groups that posted declines included coal, down 1,330 carloads, to 59,499; petroleum and petroleum products, down 439 carloads, to 10,343; and metallic ores and metals, down 355 carloads, to 20,853.

For the first 39 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,652,275 carloads, up 2.1% from the same point in 2024; and 10,573,701 intermodal units, up 3.5% from 2024. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 39 weeks of this year was 19,225,976 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.9% from 2024.

North American rail volume for the week ending Sept. 27, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 336,303 carloads, down 0.6% from the same week last year, and 371,988 intermodal units, up 2.2% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 708,291 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8%. North American rail volume for the first 39 weeks of this year was 26,457,452 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3% from the prior-year period.

For the week ending Sept. 27, 2025, Canadian railroads reported 93,860 carloads, a drop-off of 3.2%, and 72,540 intermodal units, a gain of 3.2% compared with the same week last year. For the first 39 weeks this year, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,307,357 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 2.1%.

Mexican railroads reported 13,540 carloads for the week ending Sept. 27, 2025, falling 7.6% from the same week last year, and 15,709 intermodal units, increasing 21.2%. Their cumulative volume for the first 39 weeks of this year was 924,119 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 7.1% from the same point in 2024.

The post AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Up Slightly Overall appeared first on Railway Age.

NYMTA

The MTA Board on Sept. 30 approved toll and fare increases, along with a series of fare and ticket policy changes “designed to simplify the array of offerings to prioritize affordability” on New York City Transit’s (NYCT) subways and buses, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and the Metro-North Railroad. The vote was 11-0, with two abstentions. Most of these changes will take effect in January 2026 to align with the full systemwide rollout of the tap-and-ride technology.

If today’s fare increase were adjusted to match the pace of inflation since the last increase in 2023, the base subway and bus fare would cost $3.14. While the cost of the fare remains below inflation and has remained so over the last few years, the MTA heard the concerns about citywide affordability during the public comment period. “The recent adjustments to some of the proposals further prioritize affordability and value for customers,” the agency noted. For information on these revisions, see here.

These modifications followed an extensive six-week public comment period—featuring three hybrid public hearings, 22 public comment sessions at remote locations across the system, online comment portal, and other channels provided. The MTA received a total of 1,378 of comments—four times greater than in 2023.

“Because the transit fare is a fraction of the cost of owning a car, New Yorkers spend less on transportation than people in the rest of the country, and we’re determined to keep it that way,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The modest fare increases approved today—which are below the rate of inflation—prioritize value for frequent riders and families while maintaining the MTA’s bottom line.”

NYCT

The base fare for subways, local buses, and Access-A-Ride is increasing 10 cents, from $2.90 to $3. The reduced fare is increasing from $1.45 to $1.50, and the express bus base fare is increasing from $7 to $7.25. Below are the fare policy updates that will take effect next year:

• OMNY seven-day fare-capping becomes permanent. The 7-day rolling fare cap, which allows customers to pay for 12 rides in a 7-day period and automatically ride free for the rest of the week with no pre-payment required, is becoming permanent. At the adjusted and approved base fare, no customer will pay more than $35 for subway and local bus rides in a week; reduced-fare customers will pay no more than $17.50 in a week. The prepaid MetroCard 7-Day, 30-Day, and Express Bus Plus unlimited passes will retire and be replaced with the automatic fare cap for all riders.
• Fare-capping extended to express bus network. Express bus customers will pay no more than $67 a week for unlimited express bus, local bus, and subway rides in any 7-day period.
• Tap-and-ride will be required for fare payment on subway, local and express bus. Beginning later in 2026, coins will no longer be accepted on buses but will continue to be accepted at card vending machines in subway stations and at one of the 2,700 local businesses that sell OMNY cards.
• OMNY charge and trip history available on OMNY. info. Customers are now able to track their trips and associated charges on OMNY.info. The page shows tap-and-ride customers their fare progress to unlimited rides. By mid-2026, the MTA app will include all self-service tools available on OMNY.info.
• Promotional $1 OMNY card fee ends by mid-2026. The fee for a new OMNY card will be $2 when the MTA no longer accepts MetroCard for fare payments. This is still lower than the original $5 fee. OMNY cards are more durable and last for up to 5 years, more than twice as long as the MetroCard.

LIRR and Metro-North Railroad

For the commuter railroads, an average increase of up to 4.5% will apply to monthlies, weeklies, and one-way peak tickets (excluding City Tickets). There will be no increase to Metro-North’s Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines. To view the full Metro-North fare table, see here. To view the full LIRR fare table approved today, see here.

Given a 10% discount applied to monthly tickets in 2022 and suspension of the fare increase in 2021, the current cost of a monthly ticket is about the same price of a monthly ticket in 2019 when adjusted for inflation. Monthly ticket fares will not exceed $500.

Below is a recap of the upcoming ticketing policy changes for the commuter railroads:

• Universal reduced-fare ticket valid for travel at all times. There will be a universal reduced-fare ticket for seniors, people with disabilities, and people on Medicare that will be valid 24/7, including on morning peak trips.
• More affordable trips for families. The eligibility age for a Family Fare ticket will be raised from 11 to 17 years old. Children aged 5-17 will be able ride for $1 when accompanied by a fare-paying adult, including during the morning rush hour.
• One-way tickets will be valid until 4:00 a.m. the next day. All one-way tickets, both paper and mobile, will expire at 4:00 a.m. the day after purchase. Current one-way tickets are valid for 60 days. The new validity period allows riders to plan ahead and purchase tickets before upcoming trips, while limiting the opportunity to reuse an un-scanned ticket for a later trip. Customers still need to activate tickets before boarding.
• New unlimited Day Pass. A Day Pass will be available to purchase for unlimited daily travel, replacing the round-trip ticket, and will be valid until 4:00 a.m. the next day. On weekdays, the Day Pass would cost 10% less than two one-way peak tickets; on weekends, it would cost the same as two one-way off-peak tickets.
• “Pay-as-you-go” mobile discount replaces 10-trip ticket. A new “pay-as-you-go” discount will be available for mobile customers. After 10 peak or off-peak trips in 14 days, mobile customers would get an 11th peak or off-peak one-way trip for free in the same 14-day period. Unlike today’s 10-Trip, which will be discontinued, this new fare product does not require customers to pre-pay upfront to receive a discount.
• Onboard surcharges for late mobile ticket purchases and activations. Customers who repeatedly purchase or activate mobile tickets on board would be subject to an onboard surcharge after an escalating series of warnings. This change is aimed at speeding up fare collection by encouraging customers to have their tickets activated and ready for inspection.

LA Metro

LA Metro on Sept. 30 announced that it has expanded cellular service to the K Line underground sections.

Through a public-private partnership agreement with American Tower, customers of major wireless providers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon will now have full cellular service coverage at the Expo/Crenshaw, Martin Luther King and Leimert Park stations and in the tunnels that connect them.

“Our customers deserve a safe, convenient, and connected ride—and we’re pleased that cell service is now fully operational in the underground stations on the K Line,” said LA Metro Board Chair and Whittier City Council Member Fernando Dutra.

The expanded cell service provides riders and frontline workers with added convenience and safety at no cost to LA Metro, making it easier to stay connected while at stations and onboard Metro trains, the agency noted.

“Now, the tens of thousands of people who use the K Line, including the many connecting to the airport through our new LAX/Metro Transit Center, can have confidence that they won’t lose connectivity underground, and they can use the full range of apps available to our riders, including our upgraded Transit Watch App,” said LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “Thank you to our wireless operators for their work to ensure that our riders are connected and thank you to all the Metro teams who made this improvement possible for all our customers.”

The capital investment is being made by LA Metro’s private partner, American Tower, in collaboration with the major wireless providers, “underscoring a shared commitment to enhance connectivity and infrastructure.”

This latest expansion joins the growing list of LA Metro locations that already have access to service from the three major wireless providers, including the underground stations and tunnels on the B and D Lines, A Line 7th/Metro Station and adjacent track section toward Pico Station, as well as E Line Mariachi Plaza and Soto Stations along with adjacent track sections.

In addition, AT&T customers began receiving cellular service on the Regional Connector (Little Tokyo, Historic Broadway, Grand Ave Arts/Bunker Hill Stations) in May. Metro expects T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless customers to have service on the Regional Connector as early as this fall.

The post Transit Briefs: NYMTA, LA Metro appeared first on Railway Age.

In September, GPA officially started its new fast-track routing process for container vessels entering the Port of Savannah, optimizing the Savannah River transit for inbound vessels to Garden City Terminal. According to GPA, inbound vessels will temporarily dock at Georgia Ports’ Ocean Terminal “lay berth” until a berth at Garden City Terminal opens. The first vessel to experience this process saved 12-15 hours.

“This lay berth, combined with our eight start times for ship labor, creates exciting new possibilities for ships to stay on schedule or make up time. This is a gamechanger for GPA and our customers,” said GPA President and CEO Griff Lynch. The key point of the lay berth is the reduction in berth idle time from 12-15 hours down to three hours which translates into better supply chain velocity and competitiveness. “Our mission is to make it easy to do business. “We’re really focusing on high productivity at the berth, the container yard, the truck gates and the rail—and the numbers show it.” 

In the Port of Brunswick, autos and machinery through Colonels Island Terminal decreased (-14.3%) year-over-year to 63,926 units in August and (-11.8%) to 132,918 units in fiscal YTD 2026.

Port activity in Georgia now supports nearly 651,000 full- and part-time jobs across the state, according to an economic impact study by the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. The statewide number has grown by 41,770 jobs or 7% compared to fiscal year 2023, the period covered by the previous study. GPA now helps sustain 12% of total state employment, according to the study.

According to the new findings, the statewide economic impact of Georgia’s ports in fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024) includes:

• “$174 billion in sales, accounting for 11% of Georgia’s total sales, an increase of 2 percent or $3 billion compared to FY2023.
• “$77 billion in state GDP, or 9% of Georgia’s total GDP, up 7% or $5 billion compared to FY2023.
• “$43 billion in personal income, amounting to 7% of Georgia’s total personal income, an increase of 7.5% or $3 billion compared to FY2023.”

GPA’s Board approved approximately $614 million in infrastructure improvements for Ocean Terminal civil works in the container yard, terminal and maintenance and operations building.

“Our port master plan is designed to deliver the capacity our customers need to grow their business in Georgia,” said GPA Board Chairman Alec Poitevint. “As part of that overall plan, Ocean Terminal will play an important role in growing our capabilities and providing the most competitive port operations in the nation.”

The first half of the Ocean Terminal container yard renovation will be completed in 2027, the second half in 2028. The $1.54 billion overall project, GPA says, will allow the 200-acre facility to serve two large container ships simultaneously. In addition to the yard improvements, the terminal’s two berths are being renovated to serve larger vessels. The project also includes expanded truck gates, and a new exit ramp for trucks. GPA funded the $29 million overpass to carry departing truck traffic directly onto U.S. 17/Interstate 16, avoiding neighborhood streets.

“I want to thank our Board for the outstanding investments they have approved for GPA’s future,” Lynch said. “With our plan to add new terminal space and big ship berths over the next 10 years, Georgia’s ability to take on new business is outpacing other U.S. ports to meet market demand in Georgia and the Southeast region.”

Over the next 10 years, GPA says it plans to invest $4.5 billion in infrastructure. In addition to the two renovated berths at Ocean Terminal, GPA will add three new big ship berths at the planned Savannah Container Terminal on Hutchinson Island, just across the Savannah River. By the mid-2030s, Savannah Container Terminal will add more than 3.5 million TEUs of annual capacity at the Port of Savannah, according to GPA.

The post Port of Savannah Container Volumes Up 9% in August appeared first on Railway Age.

The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) Board of Commissioners on Sept. 30 authorized expanding the use of the delivery partner model for construction of the Gateway Program Hudson Tunnel Project, which is building nine miles of passenger rail track between New York and New Jersey, including a new, two-tube tunnel under the Hudson River, and will rehabilitate the existing North River Tunnel. GDC in March 2024 awarded the delivery partner contract to MPA—a joint venture of Mace North America Limited, Parsons Corporation, and Arcadis of New York Inc.—with the initial term ending in 2030 and the option for three subsequent three-year renewals. Since then, GDC has executed a series of task orders for its initial work with MPA. The new Board action delegates authority to GDC to execute a package of task orders that will enable MPA to provide all services and staffing needed to support project delivery through the end of the initial contract term, according to GDC.

“The resolution allocates up to $665 million over the next five years for this new scope of work,” GDC reported Sept. 30. “This funding will support the existing and growing team of employees and subcontractors MPA has hired to work on the Hudson Tunnel Project, which is estimated at 350 to 400 full-time equivalents.”

GDC has oversight of the approximately $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, which is slated to “provide long-term reliability, resiliency, and redundancy to the regional and national rail network for the NJ Transit and Amtrak customers who rely on these rail services”; MPA Delivery Partners (MPA) acts as its “arms and legs.” This arrangement has allowed GDC to accelerate construction across five active sites, and since onboarding MPA in March 2024, GDC said it has: 

• “Secured full funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project.
• “Awarded contracts for three construction packages, including the first construction project that involves tunnel boring.
• “Advanced the first Hudson Tunnel Project construction package—the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project—toward on time completion in the coming weeks.
• “Procured and overseen manufacturing of the two tunnel boring machines that will be used to build the section of the new tunnel in New Jersey.
• “Managed the procurement process for four additional construction packages, including two that will be awarded in the next six months.”

Through the Board’s Sept. 30 action, GDC said it will be able to “retain the team that achieved these milestones and build on this success by adding engineers, project managers, planners, safety experts, and other key personnel, bringing MPA’s support to 350 to 400 full-time equivalents over the next five years.”

“Massive infrastructure projects like the Hudson Tunnel Project require huge teams of highly specialized experts,” GDC CEO Tom Prendergast said. “The delivery partner model enables GDC to bring in the right experts and resources for each aspect of this huge, multifaceted project while remaining a lean, efficient organization. As the past 18 months have shown, the model is working well. The MPA team has integrated seamlessly into our day-to-day operations, and the results speak for themselves. The GDC team looks forward to building on this successful partnership in the months and years to come.”

“This is a once-in-a-generation project and a true collaboration between the public and private sectors that will serve as a model for delivering future mega-infrastructure projects around the world,” said Joe Marie, Senior Vice President for MPA. “We are united in our goal of successfully completing this critical project, which will transform the Northeast Corridor and deliver billions of dollars of economic growth to the U.S. economy. GDC and MPA function as a fully integrated partnership, working closely together to ensure the Hudson Tunnel Project is completed on time and within budget.”

According to GDC, the delivery partner model has “a proven track record of enabling public agencies to deliver large, complex infrastructure projects.” It noted that the U.K.’s Olympic Delivery Authority used a delivery partner to build the infrastructure for the 2012 Olympics in London “ahead of schedule and under budget,” and in the United States, the Oregon Department of Transportation’s “award-winning” OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program used a delivery partner model to replace or repair 271 bridges. 

Further Reading:

• Gateway: HTP Makes Concrete Progress
• GDC Awards Manhattan Tunnel Project Contract
• GDC Issues RFQ for New Jersey Surface Alignment Project
• For Hudson Tunnel Project, $2.7B in Federal Grants Now Available for Construction
• Hudson Tunnel Project Primed for FFGA
• GDC Submits FTA Documentation for Hudson Tunnel Project Funding

GDC CEO Tom Prendergast will serve as keynote speaker at Railway Age’s Next-Gen Rail Systems 2025 (formerly Next-Gen Train Control/NGTC), to be held Oct. 30-31 at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City in Jersey City, N.J.

The post MPA Contract Expanded for Hudson Tunnel Project appeared first on Railway Age.

Nelson’s extensive background includes leadership roles at CN where he served as Acting Director of Dangerous Goods for North America, and most recently as Director of Operations at Ambipar’s Advanced Rail Training Center.

“Lee taking the helm comes at a pivotal moment for emergency response training,” said Niki Toussaint, Senior AVP Marketing & Education at MxV Rail and SERTC. “We are well-positioned and poised to lead the transportation sector in training preparedness, even in the face of evolving and uncertain hazards. Our commitment is to stay closely aligned with the railroads and the broader industry to ensure we are training responders for tomorrow’s challenges while addressing today’s risks.”

Nelson began his career with SERTC from 2004 to 2006 as a Hazmat Instructor and Tank Car Specialist before advancing through various industry leadership positions. “His unique combination of field experience and operational management makes him ideally suited to guide SERTC’s continued evolution,” MxV Rail said.

“SERTC has always been recognized for its premier training programs that prepare responders for real-world emergencies,” said Nelson. “I’m excited to return to an organization that sets the gold standard for hazmat training and emergency response preparedness. Our commitment to providing immersive, realistic training scenarios ensures that responders have the skills and confidence needed to handle complex surface transportation emergencies safely and effectively.”

Nelson holds numerous certifications, including Hazardous Materials Technician, Advanced Tank Car Specialist, and Hazardous Materials Monitoring. He also serves (or has served) on several industry committees, including NFPA 472, AAR Tank Car, and BOE HAZMAT. Nelson earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis in chemistry from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.

“It’s hard to get railroading out of your blood, and SERTC is historically and foremost a railroading facility. So, getting back to that is exciting for me personally,” said Nelson.    

The post Nelson Returns to MxV Rail as Executive Director of SERTC appeared first on Railway Age.

While the Board reported that comments are due by Oct. 30, 2025, and replies are due by Nov. 13, 2025, it is not accepting or processing any filings or submissions as of 12:01 a.m. ET on Oct. 1, because of the government shutdown.

The STB proposes to terminate the Class I railroads supplemental reporting of certain Positive Train Control expenditures since PTC is now fully implemented, and to require Class I’s to report two service metrics on a weekly basis: an original estimated time of arrival (OETA) metric and an industry spot and pull (ISP) metric. “Reporting of these metrics would allow the Board to better monitor service reliability and address possible future regional and national service lapses,” according to the STB. “Further, Class I carriers largely track the requisite underlying information in the ordinary course of business and have recently reported similar metrics to the Board, so the proposed reporting would not be burdensome.”

The Board said that it expects the NPRM to be one initial component of a four-part effort “to enhance, focus, and automate the agency’s data collection”:

“1. Eliminating Unneeded Data Collections. The Board collects certain data that are outdated, rendered unnecessary by overlapping measures, or cited seldomly by shippers, railroads, and the broader public. For example, even though railroads implemented PTC years ago, the agency has maintained a requirement—adopted in the middle of nationwide PTC installation efforts—for carriers to supplement the R-1 financial and operating report by breaking out PTC-related expenditures. This detailed, time-consuming accounting process is now of limited utility. As such, today [Sept. 30] the Board is proposing to eliminate this supplemental reporting and therefore reduce paperwork burden. In the coming months, [STB] Chairman [Patrick] Fuchs expects the Board to consider eliminating additional collections.

“2. Strengthening Mission-Critical Data Collections. As the Board looks to focus its data collections, it will consider addressing as appropriate any metric that presents a misleading indication of network performance or health or that has underlying data quality failing to meet acceptable standards. This effort will also involve ensuring the Board’s collections include the highest-utility metrics. Two metrics that are widely cited and deployed by railroads, shippers, and the broader public, but that the Board does not currently collect, are (1) service as measured by compliance with the original estimated time of arrival (OETA) and (2) service at the first or last mile, as captured by industry spot and pull (ISP) measuring local placements and pick-ups. Today [Sept. 30], the Board is proposing to reinstitute these metrics (with targeted definitional changes to address past concerns), enabling the agency to better monitor rail service reliability, assess changes in service levels, and address possible future regional and national service lapses. Simultaneously, the Board is implementing enhanced internal procedures across data collections to strengthen the identification of outliers, missing data, and other indicators of data quality issues.

“3. Streamlining Filing and Automating Processing. The Board is also improving efficiency by replacing manually tabulated forms with templates that allow for automated reporting and data ingestion. For example, through new templates, the Board has cut the number of data points in its revenue, expenses, and income reporting by more than 75%. The agency has also eliminated more than 3,000 data points from annual freight commodity statistic reporting. New templates allow for direct processing of uniform reports and more expeditious release to the Board’s public website.

“4. Improving Data Visualization. The Board’s website presents agency data largely as spreadsheet attachments that require manual aggregation across time periods, railroads, and other variables. The Board has procured more advanced computing tools that will enable the agency and public, including shippers, to interact with the data more easily, facilitating fast and low-burden customized queries and outputs to help better understand network performance and health and drive decision-making. The Board expects to begin to roll out an enhanced mechanism for accessing data in the first half of 2026.”

The STB’s Sept. 30 action follows a request from the Association of American Railroads and comments from shippers in multiple dockets. “Last year, AAR petitioned the Board to reopen the 2013 docket, Docket No. EP 706, and eliminate the PTC supplement as no longer necessary,” the STB reported. Because the Board is issuing the NPRM in Docket No. EP 787, in a separate decision issued Sept. 30, the Board said it “denied as moot AAR’s petition in Docket No. EP 706” Download both dockets below below:

52744Download 52620Download

The post STB Seeks to Streamline, Improve Class I Data Collection appeared first on Railway Age.

UP

UP says it is “well prepared” for another successful harvest after having racked up “strong performance numbers for its grain customers, moving grain cars faster, farther and more efficiently.”

Over the past 2.5 years, UP says it has maintained a consistent minimum of 290 miles traveled per day for its shuttle fleet—a service record unmatched in the Class I’s recorded history for grain shipments and “a good barometer of the railroad’s fluidity and ability to meet customers’ needs.”

“We have a strong, resilient and well-sourced network that is positioned to support our customers’ harvest needs this year and into the future,” said UP General Director of Marketing and Sales Ryan Raess.

Union Pacific transports about 1.3 billion bushels of grain a year, connecting the Midwest and Western production areas to export terminals in the Pacific Northwest and Gulf Coast, as well as Mexico. The railroad also serves significant domestic markets, including grain processors, animal feeders and ethanol producers in the Midwest and West.

According to the Class I, UP spends months planning and preparing for the harvest. The team tracks global commodity markets and meets frequently with customers to gauge market demand and harvest outlooks. It also makes annual adjustments for supply-and-demand variables driven by weather, growing conditions and world grain production.

The railroad then readies its resources to handle the anticipated harvest season, with crews, locomotives and covered hoppers strategically placed to support forecasted demand.

In each of the past two years, due to its extensive preparations and coordination with customers, UP’s shuttle fleet achieved at least 310 miles per day in the critical fourth quarter during harvest season, according to the Class I.

The railroad is on target to do it again this year.

“We are in a great position to meet this year’s harvest demands, delivering service levels above and beyond what we sold our customers,” said Raess.

BNSF

BNSF Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Tom G. Williams recently reached out to stakeholders with a letter regarding the proposed UP-NS merger.

“This is a significant development in the freight rail industry, and as a valued customer and partner in America’s supply chain, your perspective is important,” wrote Williams.

“The UP-NS merger has the potential to reshape the competitive landscape that supports your business. The STB, which oversees rail mergers, is committed to a transparent and inclusive review process—and they want to hear directly from those who will be most impacted.

“At BNSF, we believe in collaboration, not consolidation. Our recent partnership with CSX is a reflection of that belief, offering new intermodal lanes and expanded service options that deliver immediate benefits. We’re also investing in infrastructure like the Barstow International Gateway to support long-term growth and innovation—rather than pursuing costly acquisitions,” wrote Williams.

Specifically, Willaims says stakeholder feedback can highlight:

• “Impacts to your industry and facilities: Whether through reduced routing options, increased rates, or stranded investments due to service changes—your supply chain will be impacted.
• “Concerns about service disruptions: Integration challenges have historically caused ripple effects across the national network, even for customers not directly served by the merging railroads. When UP was challenged during the supply chain crisis, they issued over 1,000 embargoes causing competitive and financial harm to many customers and invited STB intervention.
• “UP’s cost-cutting model: Past reductions in headcount and elimination of key service offerings, such as unit trains for bulk commodities, have had significant impacts—particularly for agricultural and coal shippers.
• “Skepticism about growth claims: UP has stated it will fund the merger through 10% volume growth, yet its last merger resulted in volume declines and increased pricing.
• “Traditional remedies not sufficient to overcome competitive harms: UP leadership has publicly stated they will not offer competitive fixes, nor have they consistently honored prior merger commitments, often requiring litigation and STB intervention.”

“The STB cannot assume the full impact of this merger—they need to hear directly from stakeholders like you. Your feedback will help ensure that the Board has a clear understanding of the practical implications for shippers, industries, and communities,” wrote Williams.

Comments to the STB can be submitted through multiple channels with step-by-step guidance available here.

“Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We appreciate your ongoing engagement as we prepare to participate in the STB process. Together, we can help protect the integrity of our supply chain and ensure a future built on choice, service, and resilience,” concluded Williams.

The post Class I Briefs: UP, BNSF appeared first on Railway Age.

Michael Baker International

Michael Baker International on Sept. 29 announced that the firm has welcomed Mike Salmon as Regional Practice Lead – Design-Build. In this role, Salmon will collaborate with the firm’s Operations teams to “promote Michael Baker’s Design-Build capabilities, build winning teams for project pursuits and engage with contractors and owners to position the firm for success.”

“Michael Baker has a long-standing commitment to innovation and collaboration in the Design-Build space, delivering tailored solutions that solve complex infrastructure challenges, accelerate project completion and drive cost savings,” said Eric Ostfeld, President, Design-Build Services at Michael Baker International. “Mike brings deep experience delivering mega projects for public and private clients to his new role, and his leadership will be key to advancing our Design-Build practice. I look forward to partnering with Mike as we position Michael Baker for continued growth and reinforce our reputation for excellence in alternative delivery methods.”

Salmon is a Design-Build leader with more than 30 years of experience managing $500M+ alternative delivery and infrastructure projects. He is an expert in RFQ/RFP strategy, risk management, project pricing and proposal development. Salmon joins Michael Baker after nearly 15 years with Graham Contracting, Ltd., where he was District Manager in Colorado. Earlier in his career, he was a Project Manager / Design-Build Construction Manager with Tri-State Construction in Washington.

Salmon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from Washington State University.

G&W

G&W recently announced via LinkedIn that Philip Sylvester, General Manager of the company’s Georgia Southwestern Railroad (GSWR), Heart of Georgia Railroad (HOG), Valdosta Railway (VR), and Columbus & Chattahoochee Railroad (CCH), has been inducted into the 2025 FAMU Hall of Fame, “honoring his rise from HBCU student-athlete to leadership in the railroad industry.”

On Sept.26, 2025, Sylvester, who was a former running back for the FAMU football team, joined a distinguished class of 15 elite honorees recognized for their contributions and record-breaking performances.

As a civil engineering graduate, Sylvester became the General Manager of GSWR and several short line railroads throughout Georgia, “proving that with resilience, new paths can lead to exciting adventures,” stated FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, the joint college of Florida A&M University and Florida State University, in a LinkedIn post. “Just like in football, it’s all about teamwork. Our mission is to deliver safe, reliable service, which is important for our economy,” Sylvester said.

“His success story exemplifies the value of HBCU engineering education and the career pathways available to graduates who leverage both their technical training and leadership experience gained through athletics,” the college said.

The post People News: Michael Baker International, G&W appeared first on Railway Age.

The draft report (download below) also “examines the challenges that are impacting the project’s full completion, highlights potential new funding sources, and points to statewide collaboration focused on intercity passenger rail,” according to RTD.

Legislation passed earlier this year required RTD to compile a report demonstrating how the agency will complete the four unfinished rail corridors by 2034. Senate Bill 25-161, titled “Transit Reform,” also outlines engagement strategies the agency must do before submitting the final 2025 Finishing FasTracks Report to the Governor of Colorado and General Assembly on Dec. 1.

“RTD recognizes that this report is the first step in bringing the 20-year-old FasTracks plan to fruition,” said RTD General Manager and CEO Debra A. Johnson. “The agency welcomes the opportunity to build upon the current momentum of joint rail service planning by working with the Governor’s Office, Colorado General Assembly, and other stakeholders across the Denver metro area to advance discussions about how best to optimize the sustainable expansion of public transport in the region.”

The recently released draft report, RTD says, provides a common set of facts outlining what is needed to complete the program. The original FasTracks budget was $4.7 billion in 2004 and, to date, RTD has expended more than $5.5 billion on the program. “Significant challenges exist related to completing the Northwest, North Metro, Southwest, and Central corridors, including very low growth in sales and use tax revenues that started during the Great Recession, escalating construction costs, increases in raw materials costs, and supply chain and labor market challenges,” the agency noted.

RTD estimates $145 million would be available for FasTracks completion from the FasTracks Internal Savings Account by 2030, based on the agency’s proposed 2026-2030 Five-Year Financial Forecast. This projection, RTD says, “is a best-case scenario under the condition that a larger share of statewide funds would also be allocated towards the program.” Were the four remaining FasTracks corridors scaled back to include only the Northwest Rail Peak Service and North Metro corridor—excluding the Southwest and Central extensions—the total projected construction costs would be closer to $1 billion, according to RTD. “Bringing the two corridors to fruition would also substantially exceed the projected $441 million available in funding. It also excludes the resources needed to operate and maintain services once constructed, as well as asset renewal.”

According to RTD, state funding from programs authorized by Senate Bill 21-260, Senate Bill 24-230, and Senate Bill 24-184 “could potentially contribute toward a limited completion of FasTracks projects.” These additional revenue sources, the agency says, “could potentially fund up to $296 million towards FasTracks projects between 2026 and 2034. Additionally, ongoing funding would still be required for operation and maintenance of the rail corridors, as well as asset renewal.”

Since 2004, RTD says it has completed approximately 75% of the FasTracks projects, including 25 miles of light rail track, 53 miles of commuter rail track, and the implementation of bus rapid transit service, the Flatiron Flyer, along US 36. Establishing Denver Union Station in downtown Denver as an intermodal transit hub in 2014, with commuter rail and light rail platforms and an underground bus concourse, were also part of the FasTracks program.

Community and stakeholders are invited to review the draft report, learn more about the FasTracks projects, and provide feedback by visiting www.rtd-denver.com/FasTracks. The webpage has overview information about each remaining corridor, the eight completed FasTracks corridors, maps, and cost projections to complete the project. Customers, community, and stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback about the draft report via RTD’s FasTracks webpage through Nov. 14.

RTD will present an introductory overview of the draft report during the Tuesday, Sept. 30, Board meeting.

Finishing-FasTracks-Report_2025_Appendix_09-26-2025_A_xebiofDownload

In related news, RTD recently reported that its on-time performance for light rail service exceeded 90% in July 2025, compared with 59.9% in August 2024.

Completing both the Coping Panels Project and first phase of the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project, along with expedited operator hiring, “positively affected service reliability for light rail customers,” the agency noted.

(RTD)

“Having asked our customers for patience and understanding while these critical light rail infrastructure projects were underway, it is incredibly gratifying to now see such a substantial improvement in on-time performance,” said Johnson. “RTD is committed to providing reliable service, and the schedule we keep amplifies that pledge to our customers. The team takes this charge seriously and approaches every aspect of our transit service delivery with this top of mind.”

On-time performance is a measurement of how frequently buses and trains arrive at stop or stations according to the posted schedule, with “on-time” being defined as a vehicle arriving no more than one minute early or five minutes late. On-time performance, RTD says, can be impacted by several factors, including maintenance work, inclement weather, mechanical issues, accidents, customer boarding times and traffic conditions relating to agency bus service. “The results of RTD’s 2025 Customer Excellence Survey reflect the agency’s commitment to reliability, with year-over-year improvements in customers noting that bus or train services usually run on time,” the agency noted.

In addition, light rail service availability averaged 96.8% through August 2025, reflecting the fact that RTD delivered 21,160 light rail trips out of the 21,848 scheduled. Year-to-date service availability for bus is 99.5% and nearly 99% across all commuter rail lines. Service availability is a measurement of the percentage of trips that operate as scheduled.

More information is available here.

The post Denver RTD Releases Draft 2025 Finishing FasTracks Report appeared first on Railway Age.

(Courtesy of CN)

The Plan (download below) is produced annually and mandated by Transport Canada.

winter-plan-2025-2026Download

Following are highlights of the 32-page 2025-26 Winter Plan: 

• “Resilience Focused: CN embeds winter readiness into its operating model by planning and preparing throughout the year. This includes leveraging predictive analytics and automated inspection technologies to prevent disruptions and reinforcing its workforce to reduce delays and maintain network fluidity.” 

(Courtesy of CN)

• “Strategic Investment: With a capital program of more than C$3 billion in 2025, including approximately C$1.5 billion in Western Canada, CN is expanding key corridors, adding double-tracked sections, and upgrading major yards to boost capacity. [Among these projects: Two new sections of double track on CN’s Edson Subdivision west of Edmonton will increase capacity in that part of the network by 25%, and upgrades to Thornton Yard in Vancouver will help improve train flow to this key port.] Recent fleet renewal, with modernized locomotives and expanded rolling stock, ensures CN has the flexibility and resources to respond effectively to extreme weather.”  According to the railroad, 170 locomotives have been converted from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) traction since 2023, “improving performance, and reducing failures in extreme cold.” Thirty-two more are expected in the final months of 2025. “This will push the proportion of our high‑horsepower locomotive fleet using AC‑traction motors to about 60% and allow us to deploy 50 more locomotives in Western Canada this winter,” CN said. The railroad in 2024 added 750 new high‑efficiency hopper cars, 600 ore cars, and 300 bi‑level autoracks to the fleet, “supporting capacity and operational resilience.” Additionally, more than 2,800 wayside detectors, seven automated inspection portals, and 10 ATIP railcars generate millions of data points daily for predictive maintenance and safety, the railroad noted in the Plan.

(Courtesy of CN)

• “Collaborative Solutions: CN works closely with ports, shippers, receivers, governments, and other railways to improve performance across the supply chain. Collaboration with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, for example, has already increased weekly train movements to and from North Vancouver by 10%. CN also partners directly with customers to enhance winter safety and preparedness at their facilities. This helps reduce service delays and optimize trade flows.”

(Courtesy of CN)

CN reported that its workforce is currently “sized to demand.” To further support operations during challenging conditions and periods of high demand, the railroad said it has “increased our pool of rail operating rules‑qualified managers. By insourcing some of our core engineering work, we have also been able to achieve greater productivity, quality, cost control and a 6% reduction in train delays caused by engineering work.”

CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson (Courtesy of CN)

“The government of Canada has a critical role in enabling safe and reliable winter operations by addressing issues that create uncertainty and limit the railway’s ability to innovate and remain agile,” CN pointed out in the Plan. “This requires a stable, practical regulatory framework that supports labor productivity, avoids unnecessary burdens, and does not reintroduce extended interswitching. Proposed training and qualification regulations must also be balanced to ensure safety while protecting crew availability, particularly when resources are already stretched during winter. A government‑led, balanced approach to reporting—with real‑time data across all parts of the supply chain—would further improve transparency and help identify the root causes of disruptions when they occur. Additional resiliency can also be unlocked through timely capital investments in innovative technologies, processes, and infrastructure. To accelerate these projects, supportive tax policies and permitting processes as well as accelerated depreciation measures are essential.”

“Preparing for winter is part of what we do every year,” CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson commented. “Our Winter Plan lays out how our teams, assets, and processes are in place so we can deliver safe, reliable service and support our customers through the season.” 

Further Reading:

• Winter Weather Warm-Up
• CN Issues 2024-25 Winter Plan
• CN Publishes 2022-23 Winter Plan

The post CN Releases 2025-26 Winter Plan appeared first on Railway Age.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is inviting public comment on its schedule for reviewing the proposed merger of Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS), which would create the first U.S. transcontinental railroad, spanning more than 50,000 miles across 43 states. The deadline is Oct. 16, 2025.

The Class I railroads this past summer informed the STB of their intent to file an application seeking authority for UP to acquire NS.

Concurrent with the railroads’ notice of intent, they filed a petition to establish a procedural schedule. “Applicants’ proposed procedural schedule provides for a 390-day period between the date an application is filed and the date on which the Board would serve its final decision on the merits,” STB wrote in its Sept. 24 decision (download below). “Applicants’ proposed schedule includes a longer comment period than the one listed in 49 U.S.C. 11325, extending the due date for written comments to the date that responsive (including inconsistent) applications would be due. Applicants also propose a 90-day period for the filing of responses to comments on the primary application, rebuttals in support of the primary application, responses to protests, requests for conditions, and other opposition, and responses to responsive (including inconsistent) applications. Applicants state that the proposed procedural schedule ‘is in line with those in prior major merger proceedings,’** and provides ample time for comments and the Board’s review.”

52742Download

According to the STB, “[g]iven the high level of interest in this proceeding, and the potential for numerous and highly complex issues to arise, the Board proposes extending the period to file written comments and providing a corresponding 90-day period to file responses, as Applicants have proposed.” The Board also proposes modifications to Applicants’ proposed schedule: “Specifically, for preliminary comments from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Board proposes to conform to the time frame set forth in 49 U.S.C. 11325.” Additionally, the STB said its proposed schedule “provides that any necessary public hearing or oral argument would be held on a date to be determined later in the proceeding.”

The STB proposes the following procedural schedule, with “F” designating the filing date of the application, and “F+n” meaning “n” days following that date:  

• F: Primary application and any related application(s) filed.
• F+30: STB notice of acceptance of the primary application and any related application(s) to be published in the Federal Register. The Board noted that should it “reject the primary application as incomplete,” it would serve a decision rejecting the application by this date and the remainder of the procedural schedule would be nullified.
• F+45: Notices of intent to participate due.
• F+60: Proposed Safety Integration Plan (SIP) due. Preparation of a SIP is required under 49 CFR 1106.4, according to the STB.
• F+75: Descriptions of anticipated responsive, including inconsistent, applications due. Petitions for waiver or clarification with respect to such applications due.
• F+115: Responsive environmental information and environmental verified statements for responsive, including inconsistent, applicants due.
• F+120: Comments, protests, requests for conditions, and any other evidence and argument in opposition to the primary application or any related application(s) due (except filings from the DOJ and DOT). Responsive, including inconsistent, applications due. F+135 Preliminary comments from DOJ and DOT, if any, due.
• F+150: Notice of acceptance of responsive, including inconsistent, applications, if any, published in the Federal Register.
• F+210: Responses to comments (including those of DOJ and DOT, if any), protests, requests for conditions, and other opposition due. Rebuttal in support of the primary application and any related application(s) due. Responses to responsive, including inconsistent, applications due.
• F+240: Rebuttals in support of responsive, including inconsistent, applications due.
• F+270 Final briefs due. The STB said that it will “provide page limits for final briefs in a later decision after the record has been more fully developed.”
• To Be Determined: Public hearing (if necessary). (Close of the record.)
• To Be Determined: Service date of final decision. The UP-NS proposed schedule includes dates for the issuance of the STB’s final decision and the effectiveness of that decision, according to the Board, which noted that it will “issue its final decision in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 11325(b)(3),” requiring a final decision to be issued within 90 days of the close of the evidentiary record.

** New Merger Rules: Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner has reported that “Should the now announced UP-NS merger intent advance to a formal merger application before the STB, it will be the first decided under New Merger Rules adopted by the agency in 2001. The CPKC transaction was decided under an exception to those rules owing to KCS’s small size relative to other Class I railroads—the STB in 2001 saying a KCS transaction would ‘not necessarily raise the same concerns and risks as other potential mergers between Class I railroads.’ The New Merger Rules increase applicant burdens to demonstrate the transaction is in the public interest and enhance—not simply preserve—competition. Said the STB in 2001: ‘While further consolidation of the few remaining Class I carriers could result in efficiency gains and improved service, the Board believes additional consolidation in the industry is also likely to result in a number of anticompetitive effects, such as loss of geographic competition, that are increasingly difficult to remedy directly or proportionately. Offering some new or enhanced rail-to-rail competition or other competitive benefits is likely to be necessary to resolve substantial difficulties to tip the balance in favor of the public interest.’ CSX and NS, which in 1998 gained STB approval for joint acquisition of Conrail, later termed the 2001 New Merger Rules ‘apparent antagonism toward mergers.’ Competition enhancements might include constructing choke point bypass routes around Chicago and St. Louis; allowing segment rates where bottlenecks exist; offering reciprocal switching and trackage and traffic rights (the latter permitting freight solicitation); and demonstrating how train speeds will increase and terminal dwell times will improve. Advances in driverless trucks make cost savings and efficiencies from merger-created single-line service essential to improving the railroads’ competitive position, as intermodal growth increasingly is essential to railroad financial health. The New Merger Rules also require an assessment of ‘downstream effects.’ Most obvious are responsive mergers creating an east-west transcontinental duopoly, although such already exists regionally (and in Canada). Also to be provided is a ‘service assurance plan’ to cure unexpected hiccups during the merger transition.” Wilner was a White House appointed chief of staff to Republican STB member Gus Owen when the 1996 UP-Southern Pacific merger was approved. He is author of Railroads & Economic Regulation,” available from Simmons-Boardman Books, 800-228-9670.

Further Reading:

• SMART-TD Supports Proposed UP-NS Merger
• Mr. Vena Goes to Washington
• Kloster, Schultz Chosen for STB by POTUS 47
• Merger Dialogue: Shades of ‘Pride and Prejudice’
• Deal Vs. No Deal
• Mixed Views on Mergers
• NEARS: Consolidation, Weak Economic Backdrop Highlighted
• Transcon Merger Discussion with a Former Class I CEO
• UP+NS: An ‘Absolute Monster of a Railroad’
• UP + NS: What Comes Next?
• Union Pacific + Norfolk Southern: It’s Official

(Composite Photograph Courtesy Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern)

The post STB: Feedback Welcome on Review Schedule for Proposed UP+NS Merger appeared first on Railway Age.

The debut in late August 2025 of Amtrak’s long-awaited NextGen Acela trainsets for the Northeast Corridor captured media and rail industry attention at a time when Amtrak’s much larger—geographically speaking—Long-Distance (LD) network is suffering mechanical, personnel, and performance setbacks on an almost daily basis. Locomotives malfunctioning en route or before they even leave the station. Reduced speeds due to weather conditions or freight train congestion. Departures delayed on account of no rested crews. Coaches and sleeping cars having inoperable climate control or toilets. Dining cars unable to serve meals. Late trains getting later or being annulled altogether.

When Railway Age last examined service setbacks affecting Amtrak’s Empire Builder, bitter winter cold and Amtrak’s new ALC-42 locomotives were among the key causes of delays or cancellations. Trains arriving many hours behind schedule at their final destinations of Chicago, Seattle, or Portland resulted in the next departures from those cities being late, as well. In extreme cases, Amtrak chose to halt the Empire Builder at intermediate points like Spokane, Wash., and place passengers on buses for the remainder of their trip, allowing the train to be reversed, serviced, and ready to receive its next passengers (arriving by bus) in an effort to get back on schedule.

BNSF high-priority intermodal passes Amtrak’s Empire Builder on doubletrack on the west slope of Marias Pass near Blacktail, Mont. (Bruce E. Kelly)

Throughout all of 2024 and most of 2025, the same circumstances have frequently plagued other trains in the LD fleet, as well. Not all of the time. Many days go by where Amtrak’s LD trains perform reasonably on-time. But all too often there are delays, some setting trains back 10 or more hours off their schedule. If the summer of 2025 proved anything, it’s that Amtrak’s ALC-42s and older P-42DCs are vulnerable to breakdowns any time of year, not just in winter.

A BNSF freight unit led two ALC-42s on the eastbound Empire Builder at Rathdrum, Idaho, on July 26, 2025. The train was more than five hours late due to engine failure on the Portland-Spokane section, which joined the Seattle section at Spokane. (Bruce E. Kelly) Interference From Freight Traffic, Weather

Not all delays to Amtrak trains over the past year have been directly attributed to weather or equipment malfunctions. Long-Distance trains like the Empire Builder travel thousands of miles over routes owned and operated by freight railroads, often referred to as “host” railroads by Amtrak. For the Empire Builder, that means having passenger trains that are authorized for speeds up to 79 mph in some places on a route—mostly BNSF—that also carries a high volume of manifest/mixed-freights, intermodals handling domestic and international containers, and unit trains carrying grain, oil, ethanol, or other bulk commodities, all of which are limited to 60 mph or possibly 55 mph depending on their tons per operative brake (TOB). West of Sandpoint, Idaho, the Empire Builder route is joined by additional traffic—much of it grain and coal—coming off the former Montana Rail Link. From Spokane westward, loaded unit trains share the same route as the Empire Builder section that splits off toward Portland, but not the section that heads toward Seattle.

Empire Builder Train 28 out of Portland follows the Columbia River eastward on August 3, 2025, only a few minutes behind schedule on its approach to Bingen, Wash. (Bruce E. Kelly)

In most cases, BNSF dispatching, whether it involves live input from actual dispatchers in Fort Worth or automation via Wabtec’s Movement Planner system, does an adequate job of keeping heavy, slower trains out of the way of the Empire Builder, assuming the Builder is running on-time, within its scheduled “slot.”

Extreme winter cold across BNSF’s Northern Corridor typically slows train brake air flow on longer trains and can trigger speed restrictions due to the potential for broken rails or pull-aparts. Summer heat can also trigger speed restrictions because of the potential for warped, kinked rails. In certain areas, when temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the Empire Builder is restricted to 70 or even 60 mph, while freights are restricted to speeds between 55 and 40 mph depending on their TOB and temperature severity. Summer 2025 saw an abundance of days with heat-induced speed restrictions across the Amtrak network.

Freight trains experience their share of mechanical breakdowns or mishaps that can interfere with Amtrak’s on-time performance. One example was the September 6, 2025, derailment of several cars in a BNSF train on the west slope of Marias Pass east of Essex, Mont. Amtrak’s westbound Empire Builder, Train 7, was held at Shelby, Mont., and ultimately fell 11 hours behind schedule by the time BNSF cleared a way for it past the derailment site.

Amtrak and freights suffered equally during early August 2025 when high winds, downed trees, and heavy flooding impacted rail lines in the Upper Midwest. That same month, a CPKC derailment in Wisconsin forced the westbound Empire Builder to detour onto an alternate route to reach BNSF’s Northern Corridor, falling nine hours behind schedule in the process.

Amtrak rates the handling of its trains by freight railroads using two reporting methods. One is Amtrak’s “Host Railroad Report Card.” As Amtrak Senior Public Relations Manager Marc Magliari explains, “Host Railroad grades are evaluated by ‘host responsible delay minutes’, which is the method for grading (A-F).” U.S. Class I carriers and CN earned grades between B+ and B- during 2024. CPKC was the only major carrier to earn an A. However, CN and CPKC represent a very small percentage of Amtrak’s route mileage, especially in comparison to BNSF or Union Pacific (UP).

The other method Amtrak uses to gauge its treatment on freight railroads is a percentage-based On-Time Performance (OTP) standard. As Amtrak states in its online OTP reporting, “The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) ‘Metrics and Standards’ rule sets the OTP standard: 80% of customers must arrive on time. Miss the standard, and the Surface Transportation Board (STB) can investigate the causes, and if Amtrak’s right to preference was violated, the freight railroad may face penalties.”

Magliari offered a more precise definition for Railway Age. “OTP percentage is calculated based upon how many passengers arrive at their detraining station no later than 15 minutes beyond their scheduled arrival time.” In 2024, all 14 of Amtrak’s Long-Distance trains failed to achieve 80% OTP. The Empire Builder ranked 55% OTP, while the Southwest Chief (Chicago-Los Angeles) had the lowest OTP of all, 33%.

Normally passing here at night, the eastbound Empire Builder crossed Sand Creek departing Sandpoint, Idaho, on August 10, 2025, with its two ALC-42s performing as intended. The train was nearly 12 hours behind schedule due to late arrivals of Train 7 (Seattle) and 27 (Portland) the previous day due to weather delays and speed restrictions in the Midwest, compounded by freight train interference from being out of the normal Amtrak time slot. (Bruce E. Kelly) Amtrak Equipment, Operations Partly to Blame

Upon closer scrutiny, not all of those OTP percentages were caused by host railroads. Amtrak’s Magliari says, “The 55% OTP for the Empire Builder would include ALL delays: host, Amtrak, and third party.” According to figures posted by the FRA for FY 2025 Q2, of the 1,967 delay minutes per 10,000 train miles in Amtrak LD service overall, 1,043 delay minutes were caused by host railroads, 424 were caused by third party circumstances (weather, debris on track, trespassers, etc.), and 500 were caused by Amtrak’s own equipment, personnel, system, or servicing problems. In other words, Amtrak was responsible for roughly half as many delays to its Long-Distance trains as freight/host railroads were.

During that same quarter (FY 2025 Q2), records show the Empire Builder alone experienced 210 separate delay factors (meaning: multiple delay factors on some trains), 89 of which were Amtrak’s responsibility. Among those, there were 10 instances of locomotive mechanical failure, 10 instances of switching or servicing delay, seven instances of car malfunction, four cases of initial terminal delay, and 14 cases of crew unavailability or shortage. All of that in a single 90-day period for just one Amtrak service route.

The westbound Empire Builder was on final approach into Spokane, Wash., at 5:22 p.m. on August 12, 2025. It’s scheduled to arrive at 2:44 a.m. It started more than two hours late leaving Chicago due to “late equipment adjustments and repairs,” and fell further behind due to flooding in Wisconsin and speed restrictions and freight congestion further west. The train was turned and serviced in Spokane while passengers were bused between there and Seattle or Portland. (Bruce E. Kelly)

Often lost in the discussion of Amtrak delays or service disruptions is the impact on freight railroads. During February 2025, in single-digit temperatures, a locomotive failure brought westbound Empire Builder Train 7 to a halt in North Dakota. A BNSF freight locomotive was eventually added, and Train 7 was five hours late into Montana. It continued to lose time, including a four-hour delay east of Whitefish, Mont., waiting for a relief crew, ultimately reaching Seattle more than 20 hours behind schedule. Likewise for Train 27, the Empire Builder section that splits off at Spokane to Portland.

Similar events play out across BNSF and other freight railroads with surprising regularity. Magliari says, “We sometimes use host railroad units, just as we sometimes provide transportation to their freight crews. Those arrangements are in accordance with our operating agreements with those carriers, which are proprietary.” When freight traffic comes to a standstill due to clogged terminals, crew shortages, or other conditions, and shuttle drivers are unavailable or roads are impassable, it’s indeed common to see Amtrak trains—whether running late or on-time—picking up and dropping off crews for freight trains along the way.

Time lost for a freight crew that has to hand off a freight locomotive to Amtrak, and the ripple effect on freight trains stopped for miles behind and ahead of a disabled passenger train, are bad enough. But an hours-late Amtrak continuing across hundreds or thousands of miles of freight railway, where departures and crew starts had been scheduled well in advance, can cause widespread havoc. Having a freight locomotive on the point also reduces an Amtrak train’s maximum speed to 70 mph on some route segments, 60 mph or less on others.

Locomotive failures have been a common factor in Amtrak Long-Distance delays or cancellations. The majority of Amtrak’s LD diesel fleet is currently comprised of roughly 150 “Genesis” P42DCs, manufactured by General Electric during 1996-2001. These machines have been crisscrossing America for a quarter century or more. The first 75 of Amtrak’s newest LD locomotives, ALC-42 “Chargers” built by Siemens Mobility, began arriving in 2021 and debuted in LD service on the Empire Builder in February 2022. Another 50 are on order.

During their first year or two of operation, the ALC-42s encountered technical and mechanical problems, especially during winter conditions. One issue centered around PTC connectivity, while the other was said to involve outside moisture making its way into the dynamic brake system, causing a ground fault that brought trains to a standstill and could potentially cut power to passenger car heating. On-scene repairs, rearranging the Amtrak locomotives, or adding a freight locomotive to the front got idled trains moving again.

Siemens Mobility, said in early 2023, that a “hardware improvement” was being developed for the ALC-42s. In September 2025, Magliari tells Railway Age, “Hardware and software modifications were applied to the entire ALC-42 fleet, and we have had two winters of successful operation.”

Siemens Mobility declined multiple requests for comment from both Railway Age and from Amtrak for this story.

In late September 2025, an FRA spokesperson tells Railway Age that the PTC issue with the ALC-42s “has been resolved.” The FRA also says, “The snow ingestion of the dynamic brake system was indeed a problem. The light-dry snow of the mid-west was not anticipated by Siemens. Siemens has redesigned the air filtering for the dynamic brakes, and it appears to have resolved the snow ingestion issue that caused the electrical short circuits of the energy dissipating grids.”

Over the past two years, a new issue with various models of the Charger fleet has been discovered. Their Cummins QSK95 diesel prime movers have reportedly developed signs of internal wear. At least four SC-44s, released by Siemens Mobility in 2017 and assigned to the Pacific Surfliner in southern California, were pulled from service due to engine breakdowns during 2023-24. And in early September 2025, Amtrak and Caltrans announced that four trains in northern California’s Capitol Corridor service, powered mainly by SC-44s, would be suspended for approximately a month “due to locomotive repair work.”

ALC-42s in LD service have begun facing prime mover issues, as well. The FRA says, “Amtrak has had a series of diesel motor failures of the Cummins motors and have been working with Siemens/Cummins to resolve them. There were, for example, cases where the injector nozzle fractured and was ejected from the motor into the engine room. Amtrak has aggressively worked with Siemens to resolve all the failures and implement field modifications to prevent a repeat of the failures.”

The Chargers are based on what the FRA describes as a European locomotive design but with a diesel motor built in the U.S. The FRA says, “The distances traveled in Europe are not as far as the Amtrak Long-Distance service, and the locomotives see far more mileage in the U.S. as they do in Europe.”

As for any federal oversight of Amtrak rolling stock, the FRA says it “continues to conduct periodic inspections of all Amtrak’s Long-Distance locomotives, regardless of the model, as well as the passenger cars. Amtrak has a policy of using a minimum of two locomotives on their Long-Distance trains to minimize the potential for loss of HEP [Head End Power to passenger cars] during the trip.” The FRA goes on to say that it holds Amtrak to the requirements set under Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 229 and 238. “They are held to the same regulatory standards as commuter or freight railroads.” While the FRA says it “does not have a regulatory ability to write civil penalties against suppliers,” it does hold the railroad “accountable for any noncompliant conditions.”  

Siemens Mobility has provided technicians to occasionally monitor and correct Chargers in the field, but the general servicing and repair of these locomotives is Amtrak’s responsibility. When asked if Amtrak maintenance personnel received adequate training from Siemens, Magliari said, “Yes, and continuous improvements are under way as we gain operating experience with these units.”

Having arrived Spokane, Wash., more than 15 hours late, passengers off the Empire Builder transferred to buses on August 12, 2025, for the remainder of their trip west. The train would turn and service here, and passengers from Seattle or Portland would be bussed to Spokane for its next departure eastward. (Bruce E. Kelly) Funding Needed to Improve the Fleet

Most passenger cars in Amtrak’s Long-Distance fleet predate even the quarter-century old P42DC locomotives. The 284 bilevel Superliner I cars that began entering service in the late 1970s and 195 Superliner II’s built during the early 1990s have become prone to all manner of mechanical deficiencies, and some have been lost to wreck damage or otherwise removed from service. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 was said to include $22 billion for Amtrak, nearly $583 million of which was intended for “Long-Distance re-fleeting investments (including facilities).” An additional $7 billion is proposed through Amtrak’s IIJA supplemental funding request for replacements to the LD passenger car fleet. Manufacturing of new LD cars is expected to be announced in 2026.

In its General and Legislative Annual Report and Fiscal Year 2026 Grant Request, Amtrak says, “While IIJA provides enough supplemental funding to replace a significant portion of our existing fleet, it does not provide sufficient resources for all replacements needed to maintain current service, nor does it include sufficient resources to procure additional fleet (and supporting facilities) needed for growth.”

The Empire Builder is a case study for insufficient resources. Decades ago, Amtrak had standby locomotives positioned at key intermediate points such as Spokane, Wash. It also had enough cars available to ensure timely departures from originating points no matter how late the previous inbound train arrived there. At Chicago, following Train 8’s scheduled arrival, there’s a nearly 22-hour turnaround time to get it serviced and ready to depart as the next Train 7. But at Seattle and Portland, the turnaround time is only about five hours. Westbound Empire Builders reaching those final destinations more than a few hours late will cause the next eastbound departures to be late, as well. Magliari tells Railway Age, “All carriers must weigh the need for ‘standby equipment’ to maintain service levels. However, at Amtrak, we do not have enough fleet to meet customer needs on many routes on a regular basis, aside from delayed arrivals or holiday peaks. We have been outspoken for several years about the need for fleet funding to replace our long-distance rolling stock.”

Some eight hours behind schedule, the westbound Empire Builder crossed the Spokane River near Irvin, Wash., on August 17, 2025, powered by an ALC-42 and P42DC. It was 2-1/2 hours late leaving Chicago due to a CPKC derailment ahead, lost additional time to what Amtrak called “rail congestion and operating through a detour,” and was annulled and turned at Spokane while passengers continued west from there via bus. (Bruce E. Kelly) Track Improvements for the Empire Builder

A little-known achievement in Amtrak’s efforts to improve Empire Builder service is the Malta, Montana, Corridor Operational Enhancement Project. When operating on time, Train 8 is scheduled to stop at Malta just 22 minutes after Train 7, so the two trains frequently meet there. Doing so requires one of the trains to make a reverse movement into or out of the siding (the west switch is just 400 feet from the depot) so it can clear the main track and allow the other train to make its stop. Even if an Amtrak train were to let passengers on and off at Malta from the siding—using the concrete walkway across the main track—it would not alleviate time lost while traversing the 1.6-mile siding at 35 mph.

Thanks to a $14.9 million federal/state partnership grant—with Amtrak and BNSF contributing 20% matching funds—a crossover between the siding and main line will be added just east of the Malta depot to facilitate quicker meets and passenger stops for Empire Builders traveling both directions. The grant will also improve meeting conditions 12 miles east of Malta at Bowdoin, where the existing 8,105-foot siding will be extended to 16,000 feet, allowing BNSF trains of modern length to fully clear the main line for Amtrak trains to pass.

Regarding the Malta crossover and Bowdoin siding extension, BNSF V.P. Corporate Relations Zak Andersen says, “The in-service date will be in 2026, and dependent on how much grading work can be accomplished yet in 2025. The short construction season in Montana will quickly draw to a close for this year. If we have to wait until spring 2026 to start, we are shooting for end-of-year 2026 to be in service.”

Further Reading:

• What’s Triggering Empire Builder Service Setbacks?
  

The post Multiple Factors Impacting Amtrak Long-Distance Trains appeared first on Railway Age.

On Sept. 23, we reported on the funds transfer to operations that gave the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and its riders in and around Philadelphia a two-year reprieve. The agency came close to being forced to implement drastic service cuts, because its ridership and revenue have not recovered to its pre-COVID levels, and the federal relief appropriations that kept transit going in many places during and since the pandemic are running out everywhere.

While cities and their surrounding areas throughout the nation are facing transit catastrophes, there is one other place in Pennsylvania where a similar drama also played out recently. It’s Pittsburgh, the only other city in the Keystone State that has rail transit, and the place where many members of the Railway Age crew (including this writer) are going for this year’s upcoming Light Rail Conference.

Pittsburgh once had much more rail transit than it has today. with streetcars running downtown decades ago. There was also the Drake Shuttle, the remnant of a line, where PCC cars ran until 1999. Today there are three lines running full-service schedules, operated by Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT). The most traditional is the Beechview (Red) Line, much of which operates on historic street-running track. The Overbrook (Blue) Line has more of an interurban character and was rebuilt and modernized in 2004. The Library (Silver) Line is further from the city core and runs less frequently than the other two lines. Cars run from the downtown subway on the Overbrook Line before going on to the Library Line. Service was extended from downtown Pittsburgh to the North Side of the city in 2012.

There is other trackage that still exists, although it is not used in regular service. The Allentown Line, a steep and lengthy street-running bypass line in regular service until 2011, has been revived temporarily, due to a major project on the South Beach Line, but its return to service will end soon. There is also a spur to Penn Station, which was eliminated in 1989, but was recently placed back into service during another project. The city also has the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines: funicular railroads going up and down Mount Washington; the sole survivors of a group of 17 such operations. The service reduction plan did not mention the Duquesne Incline, although it called for minor reductions on the Monongahela Incline. Both date back to the 1870s and are historic transit rarities today.

Drastic Cuts Threatened

The PRT website detailed the cuts that would be put into effect and why the agency planned to implement them if funding did not come through. Out of 100 routes, the Silver Line and 40 bus routes would be eliminated. The Red Line and 34 bus routes would suffer major service reductions, while the Monongahela Incline and 19 bus routes would see minor service reductions. Schedules on only two bus routes would remain unchanged. Only the Blue Line would see an increase in service, because some runs would replace a portion of the Silver Line. No bus route except the 53 would see an increase in service, but it would replace another route that would be eliminated. All routes that survive would end their service day no later than an 11:00 PM curfew.

The PRT site included a link to a map of the routes and the fates that would befall them. A comment with the map said: “This map shows the service cuts which are projected if the state does not provide additional funding for PRT. Almost every route will experience reductions in service, with some facing elimination. Other service impacts may include reduced hours, less frequent service, and shortening the length of routes.” PRT also urged riders to contact their state representatives about transit funding.

The site gave detailed information on remaining service for the lines that would not be eliminated entirely. It gave information about the proposed fare increase (about 9%, as opposed to Philadelphia’s 21.5%), and told riders in detail how they could contact their State representatives. There was a long list of FAQs and a report entitled: “Transit Cuts: What’s at Stake” that included detailed analyses on a number of topics concerning the cuts.

One section of the site concerned the question “How did we get here?” and a detailed answer. Part of that answer included background on how prior funding methods could no longer keep the system going as it was, and said: “Having exhausted federal pandemic relief funding in FY24, Pittsburgh Regional Transit is now facing a structural deficit, meaning expenses, year after year, are greater than the funding that’s brought in, and the difference becomes greater each year.” It also gave some numbers: “With a projected $100 million deficit in FY26, PRT would need a $117 million infusion of state funding – with compounding annual increases – to support current service levels for the next decade. This would allow PRT to cover expenses and account for rising costs.” Elsewhere on the site, PRT issued three warnings. The first was: “There is nothing left to cut from the budget but service.” The second was: “To avoid service cuts and drastic fare increases, the State must approve a budget that would enable PRT to maintain service while implementing modest fare increases. This would allow PRT to implement its Bus Line Redesign, provide the additional service required or the 2026 NFL Draft, and to ensure reliable service for all for the next decade.” The third was: “Without a permanent funding solution, PRT will be forced to take drastic steps to irreversibly shrink the system.”

There was also a report on the methodology used to determine which service would be cut and by how much (download below) and an interactive map showing all transit and paratransit service that would be eliminated or reduced.

Not a Surprise

Financial trouble was brewing for Pittsburgh’s transit as early as six months ago. On March 20, David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief of our sibling publication Railway Track & Structures (RT&S) reported: “WESA, Pittsburgh’s National Public Radio station, reported this week that Pittsburgh Regional Transit is facing a severe financial crisis that will result in major service cuts to all of its services if it does not receive additional state funding. This includes complete elimination of 40 bus routes along with significant cuts on the agency’s light system (called the ‘T’), reductions in service on other bus routes and its paratransit service.”

The Philadelphia Story, Pittsburgh Style

The same political drama on which we recently reported played out in Pittsburgh, similarly to our description of the Philadelphia situation. The PRT Board approved a 35% service cut overall on June 27, to be implemented if the State did not step up to the plate. Harrisburg did not come up with transit funding, so Gov. Josh Shapiro later authorized PennDOT’s transfer of funds originally destined for the capital side of transit over to the operating side, to keep the state’s transit going for the next two years.

PRT reported the development on its website: “UPDATE: PennDOT has granted PRT approval to use up to $106.7 million in capital funding to support its operating budget. PRT will use this fudinng to plug a $100 million hole in its 2025-26 operating budget and use the remainder – plus a mix of state and local funding, and reserve funds – to stave off the proposed cuts for two years.”

Chris Porter reported that development for WESA on Sept. 16: “The approval came just one day after PRT requested the transfer. PRT’s board must amend its budget later this month accordingly, but the move makes it possible for the transit system to avoid a 35 percent service cut and a fare hike of 9%, both of which were slated to take place next February.” According to the report, PRT CEO Katherine Kellerman said in a statement: “I want to thank PennDOT for its quick review and acceptance of our request. This approval gives us the breathing room we need to protect our riders and keep our region moving.” Porter also explained why special approval was necessary: “Ordinarily, money in the capital fund is earmarked for investments in infrastructure projects. But state law does allow the state’s largest transit agencies to flex money to cover operating expenses. And PRT says that money – along with other local, federal, and reserve funds – would enable it to stave off cuts and fare increases for the agency’s 2026-27 fiscal year.”

Pittsburgh’s Faustian Bargain

Porter also reported: “PRT says the move might delay some capital projects – though not those needed to assure the system’s safety. And transit activists and local officials say it’s little more than a stopgap measure that wouldn’t be necessary if the state provided regular funding for transit.” So, the comments that applied to SEPTA in my previous report apply to Pittsburgh’s transit, too. As with SEPTA, it is difficult to see how PRT had a choice. Delaying capital projects is not good, but the riders suffering a severe loss of mobility would have had strong negative consequences for them and the local economy.

In one regard, Pittsburghers came out better than Philadelphians. They did not have to accept a large fare increase as part of the deal, as SEPTA’s riders did. In addition, when the Railway Age crew and other attendees gather in Pittsburgh, they will be able to concentrate on the intended topics of light rail and similar transit, without the distraction of an impending huge reduction in their host city’s transit.

PRT MethodologyDownload

The post PRT Also Gets Two-Year Reprieve appeared first on Railway Age.

CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs, Railway Age’s 2025 Railroader of the Year, has been suddenly and unexpectedly railroaded by his own collectively myopic Board of Directors, and for no reason other than, sooner or later, refusing to join the transcon merger fray. I’m not the only one who wholeheartedly agrees with CNBC’s Jim Cramer that there has been an “injustice in Jacksonville” based on short-sightedness and hedge fund pressure. Call me naïve, but I didn’t see it coming. Nor did many others.

Sept. 26 marked Joe’s third anniversary with CSX. “Three years ago, I said we would work to improve customer service and the employee experience while maintaining an industry-leading operating model,” he said in a LinkedIn post. “Fast forward to today and I believe the ONE CSX team has made dramatic progress on all these fronts. The progress that the operating team has made back to industry-leading operating metrics since early May, combined with the finishing of two major capital projects (Blue Ridge Subdivision and Howard Street Tunnel), is testament to what we can do when we work together. The dramatic movement in employee and customer Net Promoter Scores at the same time shows the power of teamwork and positive leadership. Thank you to all 23,000 members of the ONE CSX team for all your support these last three years.”

Normally, I would exercise my editorial prerogative and change the word “last” to “past,” since the former implies a sense of finality. Here, however, “last” is sadly appropriate.

Joe’s departure will shake CSX to its core, beginning with the agreement employees. “Several of your boots-on-the-ground employees are friends of mine and they all say the same thing—CSX is better off as a railroad and a place to work,” remarked Heritage Railroad Social Media Director D. Alex Wood. “The industry needed your positive attitude and eager energy. Here’s to many more years for you in our great railroad story!”

From consultant Rick Gould, President of Rail Easy Logistics Inc. (and a former CSX employee): “I have been in this industry for 52 years and have never seen better employee/management relationships.”

From former CSX CEO Clarence Gooden: “You’ve done a great job, especially with the headwinds you’ve faced.”

From Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner, a former rail labor official: “In fewer than three years, Joe Hinrichs revolutionized six decades of railroad labor relations. As Hunter Harrison creatively destroyed hidebound ways of building and dispatching trains with Precision Scheduled Railroading, Hinrichs proved labor agreements can more efficiently and more quickly be negotiated on the ballast most familiar to general chairpersons, rather than through cumbersome national handling but still preserving essential wage and benefits patterns. That is quite a legacy for a short-timer who, though he was a major railroad customer at Ford for many years, came to the job with no railroad background.”

Of course, there are those taking the opportunity to gloat, like activist investor Ancora, which couldn’t care less about the rail industry and is pushing further consolidation. I won’t pollute Railway Age by publishing its arrogance. Prendi il tuo avido fondo speculativo e mettilo dove non splende il sole.

Steve Angel

Joe’s replacement is an Angel—literally—and according to the company’s press release on his appointment, figuratively. CSX describes Steve Angel as “an accomplished executive with more 45 years of experience leading large, public companies and generating strong shareholder returns. He has a long and proven track record of leading high-performing teams, fostering a collaborative culture, and driving operational excellence and growth, while maintaining disciplined capital allocation and attractive returns on capital … He is a visionary in creating long-term value and an expert in guiding companies through significant transformation. The Board is laser-focused on advancing CSX’s strategic priorities and maximizing shareholder value, and we are confident Steve has the right skillset, expertise, and background to help us deliver our next phase of growth … During Angel’s long career as CEO of Linde plc, and its predecessor Praxair, Inc., companies under his leadership have created significant and sustained shareholder value. During Angel’s tenures, Linde and Praxair generated total shareholder returns of 219% and 257%, respectively. Since the combination of Linde AG and Praxair, the company’s market capitalization has grown by 141%, a $131 billion increase in value, outperforming the S5MATR Index and creating the world’s largest industrial gases and engineering company. Angel was CEO of Praxair from 2007-2018. After its merger with Linde in 2018, he became CEO of the combined company until 2022, when he was named Chair. He plans to retire from Linde’s Board in January 2026. He began his career at General Electric where he held a variety of management positions for more than 22 years and worked directly with locomotive and rail operations.”

As expected, there was the usual corporate-speak platitude: “[The Board] wants to sincerely thank Joe for his leadership over the past three years. We appreciate his service and his many contributions to CSX. His dedication to strengthening our operations and investing in our people and culture has laid a strong foundation as we enter this exciting next chapter.”

“The language in the CSX’s press release suggests a board-driven decision, possibly reflecting a shift in strategic direction or leadership style,” a major rail supplier commented to me. “Joe may have been brought in to stabilize operations post-PSR and improve CSX’s culture. Steve Angel’s appointment may signal a pivot toward more aggressive transformation such as a consolidation/merger.”

Bingo!

Observes our Wall Street Contributing Editor Jason Seidl: “Mr. Angel is an unknown commodity in the space but has a proven value creation and business integration track record. We expect his first communications with investors to be in October for 3Q earnings. CSX may not be done with moves as Mr. Angel and the BOD may want to bring other management into the mix at various levels. It should be noted that Mr. Angel oversaw and led the integration of Praxair and Linde to create one the largest industrial gasses companies. This was a multi-year $50 billion-plus transaction that targeted more than $1 billion in synergies. The incoming CEO may position CSX more strategically, though don’t expect this to suggest any near-term deal activity. We view this change in leadership, which caught some by surprise, as a way for CSX to clean the slate and focus on core operations and culture. We do not believe the transition has anything to do with the short-term operations, and CSX reiterated its volume guidance.”

It remains to be seen where this sudden change at the top of 500 Water Street in Jacksonville will lead. Let’s hope it doesn’t emulate the title of a 1968 movie starring Rosalind Russell, Stella Stevens, Arthur Godfrey, Van Johnson, Binnie Barnes, Susan Saint-James and Milton Berle.

There are those rightfully concerned that hedge funds and activists have too much influence in the rail industry. Pushing short-term quarterly results and being a card-carrying member of “The Cult of OR” (thanks, Tony Hatch, for coining that phrase) have undoubtedly contributed to why the railroads haven’t really been growing the top line and winning back market share from the rubber-tired monsters tearing up the nation’s highways.

There have been some pockets of progress. Joe Hinrichs should feel very good about what he accomplished in such a short time. Cutting his tenure short was a less-than-optimal move, in my humble opinion, to put it politely.

I was going to say “boneheaded,” but thought better of it. Wouldn’t be very nice.

The post ‘Injustice in Jacksonville’ appeared first on Railway Age.

UIC (Courtesy of CHSRA)

California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) on Sept. 26 announced that CEO Ian Choudri has been appointed as Vice Chair of the UIC NARA and named as a representative on the UIC Executive Board for a two-year term. Choudri will serve alongside NARA Chair Mario Peloquin, CEO of VIA Rail Canada, to represent the North American Region at the UIC Executive Board and General Assembly.

UIC is a worldwide professional association that promotes rail transportation globally and facilitates coordination and cooperation between six individual regions across the world. NARA comprises railroad and government regulators and associations from the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

“I thank the UIC and NARA for this opportunity to represent California’s high-speed rail project on the international stage and help usher in a new era of transportation here in North America,” Choudri said. “California is leading the way by delivering the first true high-speed rail project in North America, and I look forward to working with the UIC and NARA to continue this progress.”

(Courtesy of CHSRA)

According to the CHSRA, work continues daily on the high-speed rail project, with 171 miles currently under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield (see map above). Nearly 70 miles of guideway are complete, it reported, along with nearly 60 fully completed structures; an additional 29 structures are under way across Madera, Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties. The project continues to advance statewide, with 463 miles of the 494-mile San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim system fully environmentally cleared and construction ready, according to CHSRA.

Further Reading:

• CHSRA: ‘Right-Sizing the Program’
• FRA Revokes California High-Speed Rail Funding, CHSRA Fires Back

Urbahn Architects (Courtesy of Urbahn Architects)

Urbahn Architects has elevated eight professionals from within the firm to Associate Principals (pictured above, from left to right): Enrico Kurniawan, AIA, NOMA; Ryan Bieber, AIA, LEED AP; Nandini Sengupta, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, NOMA; Lawrence Gutterman, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP; Ijeoma D. Iheanacho, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA; Christopher Young, AIA; Daniel Kohn, AIA, LEED AP; and Bridgette Van Sloun, AIA, CPHC, WELL AP.

Maximillian Otto Urbahn founded his eponymous architectural practice in 1945, and eight decades later, the firm said it continues to approach architecture not as just monument making, but as rigorous problem-solving that prioritizes functionality, efficiency and human experience over purely stylistic preoccupations.

Today, Urbahn ranks as the 79th largest architecture firm in the United States by Building Design & Construction magazine. It is guided by four Principals, as well as the newly added leadership team of eight Associate Principals, who the firm said collectively embody the its commitment to diversity of perspective, and design excellence.

“This leadership evolution comes as Urbahn’s work spans increasingly varied markets—from New York City subway accessibility retrofits to humane justice facilities, healthcare education centers in the Bronx, and hotels in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia,” Urbahn reported. “What unites these diverse projects is a clear and consistent approach: maximizing positive impact on society within real-world constraints. This philosophy, embedded in the firm since Max Urbahn’s earliest commissions, values in-depth analysis, attention to human experience and timeless aesthetic over design trends of the moment or theoretical purity.”

“Our work is never formulaic,” said Donald E. Henry Jr., Managing Principal at Urbahn. “Each project deserves a truly in-depth analysis of desired functions, zoning and technical restrictions, budgets and architectural context.”

Urbahn’s current and recent transportation projects include the $300 million 14thStreet/6th Avenue MTA subway station complex accessibility and technology upgrade in Manhattan; multi-site New York City Transit subway station flood mitigation resiliency program; renovations and accessibility upgrades of multiple MTA subway stations throughout New York City; MTA Long Island Rail Road design-build station renovation program, including stations in East Hampton, Deer Park, and Brentwood, N.Y.; and Newark City Subway Improvements in Newark, N.J.

(Courtesy of HNTB) HNTB

Kourosh Langari has joined HNTB as a Digital Delivery Senior Advisor. With more than 38 years of experience in planning, design, and construction management, he will play a key role in advancing digital transformation initiatives for clients across the transportation sector, according to the infrastructure firm.

Langari served previously at Caltrans, where he “championed building information modeling (BIM) for Infrastructure adoption with ISO 19650–aligned workflows, integrated major technology platforms, and established scalable processes for model-based design and contract deliverables,” HNTB reported. “His innovations, including Unmanned Aerial Systems mapping for design-grade data and accelerated bridge construction workflows, set new standards for efficiency and reduced change orders across complex transportation projects.”

Langari holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in applied mathematics from Oklahoma State University and Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

“Kourosh brings a wealth of first-hand technical experience and a visionary approach to digital delivery, making him an invaluable partner to our clients and teams,” said Darin Welch, HNTB Director of Digital Transformation Solutions. “His thought leadership and passionate curiosity will help clients modernize delivery methods through design and construction; improve data quality; and achieve greater efficiency, return on investment and value across the transportation and asset lifecycle.”

In related news, Paula Dowell in May transitioned to HNTB’s National Integrated Planning Services Practice Leader, and Eric Olson in February was hired as Deputy Program Director.

The post People News: UIC NARA, Urbahn Architects, HNTB appeared first on Railway Age.

BNSF (Courtesy of BNSF)

“As we enter fall harvest and approach peak holiday shipping for intermodal, BNSF operating teams remain focused on maintaining positive performance momentum and delivering consistent service,” the Class I railroad wrote in a Sept. 26 online notification to customers. “This week, we moved our first new-crop soybean train out of Montana, kicking off the season.”

For the week ending Sept. 20, the railroad said that overall car velocity was “essentially unchanged” from the prior week and it is nearly 3% higher than the average level for August (see chart, top). Average terminal dwell improved compared with the previous week and month, according to BNSF, which added that the local service compliance metric “remains consistently above 90%.”

“Rail operations are normalizing on our Northern Transcon route following a derailment that occurred on Wednesday night [Sept. 24] in northwestern Minnesota,” the railroad said. “As reported, the incident took place near Dilworth, approximately five miles east of Fargo, N.Dak. Both main tracks were out of service while crews worked at the scene. Thanks to the hard work of BNSF teams, the first main track reopened within 12 hours, and service on the second track was restored last night. “

Fort Worth Subdivision: BNSF crews installing double track north of downtown Fort Worth (left) and project location map (right). (Courtesy of BNSF)

As part of a capital expansion update for customers, BNSF reported recently completing two major capital projects and advancing another that is designed to improve fluidity and increase capacity.

At the Fort Worth Subdivision in Texas, BNSF finished a multi-year project to double-track an eight-mile segment between Lake Wanda and Bredenberg, just north of downtown Fort Worth. Located between the railroad’s Alliance facilities and Tower 55, this high-traffic corridor connects to the Wichita Falls Subdivision. BNSF said the new double track improves network efficiency and capacity on one of its busiest routes.

Phoenix Subdivision: Tucker Siding extension (left) and siding location map (right). (Courtesy of BNSF)

This year at BNSF’s Phoenix Subdivision in Arizona, the railroad built a new 10,000-foot siding at Congress and extended the Tucker Siding to 10,000 feet. These improvements, it reported, “help reduce congestion and enable trains to move more efficiently in both directions.” Together, they improve fluidity and velocity for traffic moving to and from Phoenix and connecting with the Southern Transcon.

As part of a multi-year initiative to expand capacity on BNSF’s Needles Subdivision in California, the railroad said it is making progress on installing triple track and signals on an 11-mile segment beginning approximately 50 miles east of Barstow. Expanding capacity on this vital Transcon corridor “supports consistent service and long-term growth,” according to BNSF. This segment is scheduled to enter service next year.

Further Reading:

• BNSF Intermodal: We’re Going Where Markets Are Growing
• BNSF’s Intermodal Container ‘Matchmaking’ Program a Win-Win-Win
• We’ve Got This: BNSF Ready to Support Agricultural Producers for Successful Harvest
• BNSF Leads Rail Industry in Innovation With More Patents Than All Other Class I Railroads Combined

NS A momentous milestone in April when Train 98A rolled through Asheville’s River Arts District, an area that was completely underwater during the storm. (Courtesy of NS)

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought historic flooding and unprecedented damage across the Southeast, impacting both communities and critical infrastructure. One year later, NS on Sept. 26 reported that it worked closely with first responders, neighbors, local businesses, and others to restore service safely and reconnect communities.

“Recovery has been a shared effort,” it said. “Together, we’ve worked to restore critical connections that sustain local economies and maintain the flow of commerce that communities depend on.”

In the days immediately following the storm, NS said crews worked around the clock to repair damage, remove debris and get freight moving safely again. They reopened all core routes affected by the storm within 72 hours of landfall, clearing more than 15,000 trees, deploying more than 400 generators, and repairing multiple washouts.

In March, NS and its contractors completed the Newport bridge replacement, which the railroad called “a critical step in restoring rail service in and out of Asheville, N.C., for the first time since the storm.” Built to modern specifications and designed to last at least 100 years, the new rail bridge reconnected a key western portion of the AS Line, which links Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, according to NS. “Its replacement gave the community hope as residents welcomed it as a sign of return to normalcy post-hurricane,” the railroad reported.

NS also provided direct assistance to employees and their families as they navigated the storm’s aftermath while continuing to serve their communities. In addition to the railroad’s annual disaster relief support, it donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross for immediate and long-term recovery needs in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“Hurricane Helene tested the strength of our communities and our railroad, and I’m proud of how we responded,” NS Operating Officer John Orr said. “Our teams, first responders, and local partners worked shoulder to shoulder to restore service safely and support those in need. I’m deeply grateful for the grit and character of our people and the partnerships that helped us come through stronger together.”

“The speedy replacement of the Newport bridge, despite challenging conditions in the wake of the storm, exemplifies the NS team’s commitment to reliability, resilience, and investment in the communities we serve,” noted Ruth Brown, Chief Engineer Bridges and Structures for NS.

Further Reading:

• NS Introduces Triple Crown Services, Inc.
• SMART-TD Supports Proposed UP-NS Merger
• NS, UP Leveraging Louisville
• USDOJ Stops Hitting NS with Crescent Wrench

The post Class I Briefs: BNSF, NS appeared first on Railway Age.

“Bright sparks flew on Sept. 25 as Stadler’s brand-new welding facility in Salt Lake City opened, delivering the first locally welded aluminum car body in the company’s North American history,” Stadler reported Sept. 26.

Aluminum car bodies are now being welded on-site rather than shipped from Stadler’s welding facilities in Europe.

“With the new welding facility and car body production, Stadler is further strengthening its domestic content creation in the U.S., increasing it to around 80%,” Stadler said. “Of the remaining 20%, a large proportion of supplies come from Europe. Stadler is currently analyzing all supply chains with the aim of further reducing the proportion of foreign components.” The company noted that since 2016, the Buy America Act has required it to “demonstrate that at least 70% of its value creation is generated in the USA if U.S. tax money is used for financing the project.”

Stadler’s new 50,000 square-foot welding hall will employ up to 20 new local welders and technicians by the end of 2026. During this “ramp-up phase,” the company said its top welding experts from Hungary are on-site in Salt Lake City “to share best practices and ensure a seamless transfer of expertise.”

“We set out to build more than just trains,” said Martin Ritter, CEO of Stadler North America, which earlier this year announced it would operate as an independent division. “We’re building economic opportunity, stronger supply chains, and a future where American-made trains are synonymous with world-class quality. Today, our welders are proof that it can be done.”

“This facility is a shining example of what can happen when global expertise meets local ambition,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who attended the grand opening event with other local officials, community leaders, and Stadler team members. “With the opening of this new welding hall, [rail]car bodies will be manufactured locally. That means jobs, innovation, and a more sustainable future.”

Stadler is said to investing more than $70 million to expand its existing manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City’s Northwest Quadrant, with support from the Utah Inland Port Authority. The expansion project is slated to double the size of the existing facility, adding 245,000 square feet to accommodate two new assembly halls, the new welding facility, sandblasting booth and train battery charging station.

Bussnang, Switzerland-based Stadler established a Utah location in 2016, after Trinity Metro in Texas ordered eight four-car FLIRT DMUs (diesel multiple units) for the launch of TEXRail commuter rail service in 2019. Work on the expansion project began in October 2024, following contract awards from Trinity Metro for four more DMUs and from Utah Transit Authority for up to 80 low-floor CITYLINK light rail vehicles for Salt Lake City’s TRAX modernization project.

Among Stadler’s other U.S. projects: 23 KISS EMUs(electric multiple units) are operating at Caltrain in California; a hydrogen fuel cell (HFC)-powered FLIRT H2 train is currently in test on Metrolink’s Arrow line between San Bernardino and Redlands, Calif., where it will run alongside existing FLIRT DMUs; and eight DMUs are being tested for Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) Silver Line commuter rail service. Also, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in 2019 awarded Stadler a contract to supply 127 two-car rapid transit trainsets with options for up to 50 additional sets, and earlier this year California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) exercised an option for six additional zero-emission HFC FLIRT H2 trainsets; Chicago’s Metra ordered eight two-car zero-emission, battery-electric (BE) single-level trainsets; and Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners selected Stadler and Siemens Mobility to provide railcars and signaling technology, respectively, for a rail proposal to ease congestion on the I-405 (Sepulveda) corridor between Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and Westside.

Further Reading: Stadler Opens New U.S. Signaling Division Office

Don’t miss Light Rail 2025, to be presented by Railway Age and RT&S on Oct. 1-2 in Pittsburgh, Pa. It will offer a comprehensive review of the specialized technical, operational, environmental and socio-economic issues associated with light rail transit (LRT) in an urban environment. On Oct. 2, Hans Cruse, Sales Manager LRV/North American Streetcar Market for Stadler Rail, will be sharing a case study on “Green Technology Applications for Light Rail.”

The post Stadler Opens SLC Welding Facility appeared first on Railway Age.

NYMTA

The MTA on Sept. 27 announced adjustments to proposed fare policies that are scheduled to be voted on by the MTA Board on Tuesday, Sept. 20. These changes, the MTA says, are being proposed following an extensive public comment period in which 1,378 comments were submitted from customers, advocates, and elected officials across the service area.

Under these revisions, the fare cap for seven days of unlimited travel on subways and buses using tap and ride would be lowered from $36 to $35. This equates to a less than 3% increase from the current price for a weekly pass. After 12 paid trips in any seven-day period, customers would automatically get unlimited free rides the rest of the week, as they do today.

After listening to feedback from commuter rail customers who expressed concern over the previously announced four-hour validity window on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North tickets, all one-way mobile and paper commuter rail tickets will instead expire at 4:00 a.m. the following day, “ensuring customers can still get home, even if their plans change.”

Additionally, the “family fare” program, which allows up to four children to ride commuter rail lines for $1 each with a fare-paying adult, will be expanded to include children 17 and under (currently 11 and under). The family fare program would also be valid at any time of day all week.

Fares would no longer increase on Metro-North Railroad West of Hudson service, including Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines.

After proposed fare changes were first announced in July, the MTA held an extensive, six-week public comment period. Three public hearings were held in person and online via Zoom. Additional comment sessions were held in 22 locations across the MTA’s service area, including subway stations, commuter rail stations, and mobile sales vans. Comments were also accepted through an online portal, phone hotline, e-mail, and the postal service. These efforts resulted in four times as many comments as were received in 2023, when fares were last increased.

 The 2025 MTA Operating Budget, approved by the Board in December 2024, assumed a fare and toll increase would occur in March 2025. The MTA is delaying the fare and toll increase to January 2026 to align with the launch of full tap and ride on subways and buses. The MTA Board is set to vote on these new proposed adjustments, as well as the previously announced fare and toll increase, during their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 30. 

BART

BART on Sept. 26 announced that it has completed the installation work on a milestone project that the agency says is already making the system safer. Next Generation Fare Gates are now in place at all 50 BART stations. BART promised to complete installation by the end of 2025 but beat that deadline by four months with the final gates being installed in August.

(BART)

“This is the latest in a string of victories for riders that are transforming the daily BART experience,” said BART General Manager Bob Powers. “Since last year we have boosted our visible safety presence in the system, increased cleaning, gone to running only Fleet of the Future trains, became the first transit agency in the Bay Area to offer riders Tap and Ride, and now we have installed state-of-the-art fare gates that are already deterring unwanted behavior. Our riders say they want a system that is safe, clean, and user friendly, and we are responding with decisive actions.”

(BART)

The number of riders who say they’ve witnessed someone fare evade on their trip has dropped by more than 50% in just the last year, according to BART. In the latest Quarterly Performance Report, only 10% of riders said they saw someone fare evade. That’s down from 22% in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025. Reports of fare evasion have been dwindling as Next Generation Fare Gates have been installed at more stations, the agency noted.

“The completion of the Next Generation Fare Gates project marks a major step forward in modernizing our system and enhancing the rider experience,” said BART Board Vice President Melissa Hernandez. “These new gates improve accessibility, safety, and efficiency, and reflect BART’s commitment to investing in the future of public transit across the Bay Area.”

(Lt. to Rt.) Dublin Mayor, ACTC Board Member, Sherry Hu, BART Board Vice President Melissa Hernandez addresses the public during the Alameda County BART Next Generation Fare Gates Ribbon Cutting at BART’s West Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station, in Dublin Friday September 26, 2025. BART©

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.

“The gates deployed by BART are the only ones of their kind in the world,” said Sylvia Lamb, BART Assistant General Manager for Infrastructure Delivery and head of the fare gates project “Our team did incredible work to beat the installation deadline by several months. Now we will benefit from lesson learned over the last year through the experiences of hundreds of thousands of riders to focus on making these gates even more resilient.”

Upcoming work, BART says, will focus on the full utilization of advanced sensors to make it harder for those who want to “piggyback” into the system by closely following behind paying riders.

BART replaced 715 fare gates across a system that spans five counties.

WMATA

WMATA on Sept. 26 announced a strong close to fiscal year 2025, achieving $120 million in savings while delivering record ridership growth and national recognition for service excellence.

According to the agency, WMATA customers took 264 million trips, a 9% increase over FY24 and 16% above budget projections, generating $462 million in passenger revenue. Rail ridership rose to 139 million trips and bus reached 124 million, both well above projections.

“Metro continues to prove that we can deliver safe, frequent, and reliable service while managing costs responsibly,” said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. “This year we moved more people, saved more money, and reinvested in the system our region depends on. These results show what’s possible when efficiency and the customer experience go hand in hand.”

WMATA ended FY25 with $120 million in total savings, including $28 million in one-time operating reductions and $92 million reinvested in the Six-Year Capital Program. The agency says it closely managed operating expenses through a cost efficiency task force that implemented recurring savings of $50 million, wage freezes for non-represented employees and two of WMATA’s largest unions saving $38 million, along with service optimization for $20 million in savings.

FY25 also marked major system improvements and industry honors. WMATA was named Outstanding Public Transportation Agency by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and received the International Sanitary Supply Association’s inaugural Spotless Space of the Year award.

Key accomplishments included:

• Launch of the Better Bus Network and Tap. Ride. Go. contactless fare payment.
• Reintroduction of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) for the first time in 15 years.
• Modernization of faregates at all 98 Metrorail stations and installation of new fareboxes on 1,500 buses.
• Deployment of 185 new MetroAccess minivans and 49 next-generation vehicles.
• Major rail fleet maintenance, including scheduled work and wheelset replacement on 358 7000-series railcars.

“Prudent stewardship of resources and a spirit of innovation have contributed significantly to Metro’s success this past year,” said WMATA Board Chair Valerie Santos. “We are proving that smart, accountable management leads to better service and real results. The path ahead requires stable, dedicated funding—so we can build on this progress and deliver a world-class system for our communities.”

In FY26, WMATA says it will be “building on last year’s strong performance” by adding peak Metrorail capacity to address ridership growth, opening earlier on weekend mornings and closing later on weekend late nights and extending half of Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt in December. Also, in FY26, the agency will be extending Tap. Ride. Go. to Metrobus, “while continuing to modernize and improve efficiency.” At the same, WMATA emphasized the urgent need to address the capital funding cliff in FY26, “warning that a long-term funding solution is essential to sustain modernization and system reliability.”

STM

Montrealers may face more transit disruptions in the coming days as the STM and the maintenance workers’ union continue negotiations amid a strike, according to a CityNews Montreal report.

According to the report, on Saturday, Sept. 27, the STM received a proposal from the union regarding part of the collective agreement’s normative clauses. However, the STM says, “the offer did not take into account the financial challenges or the operational realities of the transit system and showed no real progress.”

In response, the STM has submitted a counterproposal “aiming to bring both parties closer to an agreement.” Negotiations are scheduled to continue on Monday, Sept. 29, according to the CityNews Montreal report.

“The STM negotiation committee says it has the full authority and expertise to reach a fair deal with the union. The transit agency is firmly committed to the negotiation process and is making every effort to avoid a strike,” according to the report.

According to the report, if the maintenance workers’ union decides to continue with its planned strike, it could last until Oct. 5. The STM is urging passengers to plan their trips carefully and stay updated by visiting their website.

The post Transit Briefs: NYMTA, BART, WMATA, STM appeared first on Railway Age.

ITS Logistics

Although the U.S. economy showed mixed signals in August, “growth and consumer spending remained positive, while inflation stubbornly remained above target,” according to ITS Logistics’ latest supply chain report. “As of now, a recession doesn’t appear imminent, but momentum is clearly slowing, and economic uncertainty continues to rise heading into Q4. This news comes just as industry professionals prepare for the onset of the domestic logistics peak season, further evaluating strategies related to tariff arbitrage, assessing de minimis opportunities, seeking new warehouse locations throughout the U.S., and evaluating the trucking sector’s capacity gains.”

The September ITS Supply Chain Report confirms that containerized imports at the top 10 U.S. ports fell 4.1% month-over-month in August 2025, with sharp declines at key West Coast gateways offset by gains at Seattle, Savannah, and Norfolk. The mixed results, ITS says, “reflect both seasonal trends and shifting trade patterns as shippers respond to tariff uncertainty. Import volumes remain above pre-pandemic levels but show heightened sensitivity to policy changes, including the recent repeal of the de minimis exemption on low-value parcels and the upcoming U.S.-China tariff truce expiration.”

According to a recent article from Supply Chain Dive, “the end of the de minimis exemption has the potential to create new challenges for ecommerce supply chains’ peak season plans.” The exemption, which ended on Aug. 29 for imports in the U.S., allowed those valued under $800 to enter the country duty- and tax-free. Eliminated to combat drug trafficking and prevent importers from avoiding tariffs, it was initially expected to end on July 1, 2027, “thereby leaving many direct-to-consumer marketplaces scrambling to adjust their peak season strategies. Now that it has been completely eliminated, companies are struggling to adjust their operations ahead of the Q4 holiday shopping rush.”

“We’re now seeing ecommerce companies implement a tariff arbitrage strategy in response to the ongoing changes in global trade,” said Josh Allen, Chief Commercial Officer of ITS Logistics, a Nevada-based third-party logistics (3PL) firm. “These companies include everything from the luxury sector on down to those that provide what are considered to be lower-valued goods. This strategy is being leveraged to mitigate shifting tariff impacts and keep overall costs down for their consumers. It is a genius evolution in how companies are adapting to the economic impacts of tariffs and global supply chain management overall.”

As confirmed by CNBC, the business model, formally referred to as business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C), “is changing the way retailers handle orders placed by consumers on a company’s website. Transactions are being routed to a wholesale platform as the middleman. For the consumer, the process is essentially seamless from purchase to receipt of the merchandise, and for the retailer, the difference in paying tariffs on wholesale prices as opposed to retail prices ranges from 30% to 60%. Despite the clear positives from the newly adopted strategy, some logistics experts are concerned that ‘tariff hacking’ is not a sustainable long-term strategy and will ultimately not be able to keep inflation down.”

“Inflation has decreased from peaks but remains above the Fed’s 2% target and rising expectations risk making it more persistent,” continued Allen. “In August, core inflation was 3.1% which signals sticky underlying inflation, remaining above the Federal Reserve’s usual 2% target. The 2.9% headline rate is the highest since January 2025, and the rise above 2.7% and a stronger month-to-month increase (0.4%) suggest inflation picked up pace in August. As a result, consumer confidence in August 2025 showed a slight decline.”

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) confirmed this week that the full impact of U.S. tariff hikes “is still unfolding, but the U.S. and global economies are expected to continue losing momentum in 2026 as higher tariffs take an increasingly large toll on activity. As companies further leverage this newly adopted tariff arbitrage strategy—especially during peak seasons with returns—U.S. warehouses will need to be utilized more by retailers in strategic parts of the U.S. to avoid sending products back from overseas, thereby incurring a new tariff fee.”

This month’s index, ITS Logistics reports, highlights the modest Producer Price Index (PPI) increase in August, “indicating a small but notable upward movement in costs or prices within the warehousing and storage industry. This relatively minor change suggests that the sector experienced stability with no significant disruptions occurring between July and August.”

“As a result, businesses that rely on warehousing and storage services should anticipate slightly higher costs moving forward, particularly those with contracts that contain variable labor or utility components. As for the trucking sector, spot and contract rates continue to see minimal shifts at the onset of peak season. The ongoing capacity gains since January, combined with easing price growth at the start of peak season, suggest an ongoing softer truckload environment,” Allen added.

Port of Vancouver

The Port of Vancouver on Sept. 26 announced that it moved record volumes of Canadian trade in the first six months of 2025, “delivering vast quantities of made-in-Canada grain, energy and fertilizer exports to diverse world markets against a challenging geopolitical backdrop.”

The port’s mid-year cargo statistics show a 13% increase in cargo moved between January and June 2025, compared to the same six-month period last year—with a record of more than 85 million metric tons (MMT) of cargo handled. Port of Vancouver terminals handled nearly 20% more international trade than a year ago, as surging exports of Canadian crude, canola oil, grain, potash and coal to markets worldwide. Containerized trade over the first half of 2025 remained steady, while cruise and auto volumes eased following record performances in 2024.

“Canadians and their businesses depend on the Port of Vancouver to buy and sell the products they manufacture, farm, mine and stock their shelves with,” said Peter Xotta, President and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

“As Canadians navigate a moment in time like no other, I want to acknowledge the port community and our supply chain partners for rising to the occasion and moving record trade volumes so far this year. The Port of Vancouver has a critical role to play in meeting the moment as Canadian businesses seek to sell more of their products to more customers outside of the U.S.,” Xotta added.

The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest and most diversified port—already connecting Canada with more than 170 global economies and moving as much cargo as Canada’s next five largest ports combined. More than 80% of the trade through the Port of Vancouver is Canadian trade with countries other than the U.S.

Bulk exports of Canadian commodities were strong in the first half of the year, including record volumes of crude oil exports, and robust volumes of canola oil, grain and potash exports from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

• Crude oil exports surged by 365% to almost 12 MMT, with Trans Mountain’s expanded pipeline and terminal coming into operation in May 2024. Approximately 60% of these record volumes went to China, while other markets including the U.S., South Korea, Singapore and Japan all surpassed their full-year 2024 volumes early in the first half of 2025.
• Canola oil exports were up 72% to 0.7 MMT in the first six months of 2025, as the port connected Canadian producers with new overseas markets and helped offset lower U.S. and Chinese demand. Export markets for canola oil grown throughout Western Canada expanded from four in 2024 (China, U.S., South Korea, Peru) to 12 in the first half of 2025, with new and returning markets including Belgium, Malaysia and Mexico.

Port operators also moved near record volumes of bulk exports of Canadian grain, fertilizer (potash, sulphur) and coal. Grain was up 8% to reach its second highest half year on volumes on record (behind 2021), including wheat up 16% and canola seed up 12%. Increased volumes of canola seed went to Japan, while new markets such as Mexico, Netherlands, France, Bangladesh, Bulgaria helped offset the impact of Chinese tariffs.

Potash was up 26% to reach its second highest half-year result on record after 2019 as the fertilizer product recovered from a slowdown in 2024, while sulphur was up 5% and coal down 2%.

“For decades, and prior to tariff threats, along with our partners we’ve been working hard to grow trade capacity to meet demand. Today, our growth plans and partnerships are purpose built to help Canada rise to the occasion and get made-in-Canada products to more customers,” said Xotta. 

“We all win when we work together. For example, we’re using new tech and tools to facilitate thousands of ship movements a year—allowing us to improve visibility in how goods are moving through the port, better coordinate with supply chain partners and add capacity. Our Active Vessel Traffic Management Program, combined with ongoing collaboration, has meant the port has been able to smoothly integrate Trans Mountain’s expanded volumes over the past year while also enabling CN to increase rail service to the busy North Shore trade area by 10%,” Xotta added.

The Port of Vancouver’s four container terminals moved 1.88 million 20-foot equivalent units (or TEUs) at mid-2025, with mid-year volume growth of 6% driven largely by Canadian trade. It was the second highest volume of containers moved at mid-year, after 2021’s record of 1.94 million TEU, according to the Port.

“Containerized trade—like the Canadian economy—has shown remarkable strength and resilience so far this year in the face of U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty,” said Xotta.

“More and more, we are seeing Canadian businesses turn to containers to securely trade goods with world markets. With containerized trade through the port on a long-term growth trajectory, Roberts Bank Terminal 2 is uniquely positioned to deliver for Canada. We are advancing towards a final investment decision soon for the nation-building project, which will unlock an additional $100 billion a year in West Coast trade capacity and enable Canadian businesses to win even greater market share overseas.”

The Port of Vancouver’s cruise sector had just more than 130 cruise ship calls and 500,000 passenger visits between March 5 and June 30—down compared to 2024’s record-breaking year, but still strong as Canada Place cements itself as one of North America’s premier homeports.

“Canada Place is now regularly seeing upwards of 300 cruise ship calls and 1.2 million passenger visits every year—injecting around $1 billion into the economy and supporting jobs and local businesses throughout the region,” said Xotta. “We are honoured to partner with countless cruise and destination partners to ensure Canada Place remains a premier homeport serving the popular Alaska market—together we are making Vancouver cruise shine and creating jobs for Canadians.”

Each cruise ship visit to the Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver injects about $3 million into the local economy, according to an Economic Impact Study released by the port authority in 2024. 

Auto volumes eased 3% to 241,000 units, down slightly compared to last year’s record and the third highest volume for the port. Nearly 100% of Canada’s Asian-manufactured vehicle imports arrive via the Port of Vancouver, with work to optimize the Annacis Auto Terminal and increase its capacity by one-third being completed earlier this year.

Foreign breakbulk volumes were down 8%, due to forestry exports continuing a trend towards containers and metal imports falling slightly. Domestic volumes—largely comprised of local movements of logs, sand and gravel—decreased.

The post Intermodal Briefs: ITS Logistics, Port of Vancouver appeared first on Railway Age.

As part of its efforts to modernize the I-95 rail corridor, CSX closed the 125-year-old Howard Street Tunnel for reconstruction in February. The project sought to allow for double-stack intermodal service through the tunnel by increasing the vertical clearance and addressing 22 obstructions located along the corridor. This double-stacking is a “more cost-effective way to transport rail” than via trucks, reduces traffic congestion along I-95, and reduces emissions. At the time, CSX chief engineer of bridge design and construction Ed Sparks said, “This is a tremendous opportunity to alleviate a restriction on our network and open up new opportunities for CSX.”

Double-stacked intermodal service traveling through Howard Street Tunnel. (CSX Photograph)

Over the summer, CSX documented its work on the project where crews removed and lowered 3,400 feet of flooring along the 8,700-foot-long tunnel, originally built from 1890-1895. As CSX worked to “combine modern engineering solutions with strategic planning to overcome logistical challenges,” crews continued to remove rail, excavate, and lower the track profile. At North Avenue Bridge, Guilford Avenue Bridge, and Harford Road Bridge, crews noted these sections required a different approach because of obstructions located beneath the bridges. The ability to adapt to these challenges “demonstrate[d] the adaptability of the construction team, ensuring optimal results across diverse project sites.”

CSX announced the reopening of the bridge on September 26, marking the event as a “historic milestone” due to the project successfully eliminating a bottleneck along the I-95 corridor. Completed on budget and ahead of schedule, the project delivers “a long-sought boost to Maryland’s economy and the national supply chain,” the Class I notes.

Joe Hinrichs, CSX.

“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 Coast for decades. . . This project reinforces CSX’s position as a high-performing, customer-focused railroad investing for profitable growth,” said Joe Hinrichs.

Work Completed

Throughout the course of the project, crews spent more than 450,000 man hours worked with 175 field craft, 20 subcontractors, and 40 salaried supervision staff. For 233 consecutive days, crews worked to install 1,128 dewatering well points, place 1,188 precast invert slabs (PCIS, and install 14,276 linear feet of wall drain. Additionally crews placed over 4,000 cubic yards of concrete and over 24,000 cubic feet of grout. The Class I states that over 25,000 cubic yards of excavated material were removed from the tunnel, and more than 78,000 linear feet of temporary electrical cable was installed. Below is a gallery of images, courtesy of CSX, that show crews working in the tunnel.

“With the Howard Street Tunnel’s reopening, CSX is now able to unleash the full strength of our network ahead of schedule, removing a long-standing volume constraint along the I-95 corridor,” said Mike Cory, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at CSX. “Even while navigating this and other major infrastructure projects over the last year, CSX has maintained the strong performance that customers have come to rely on. With this project now complete, our network is stronger than ever, underscoring the adaptability of our system and strength of the ONE CSX culture.”

Watch Double-Stacked Intermodal Service Through the Howard Street Tunnel

The post CSX Reopens Howard Street Tunnel appeared first on Railway Age.