Railway Age magazine

In an online customer notification, BNSF reported offering “new, faster five-day-a-week schedules from Los Angeles to many CSX destinations, as well as new service lanes,” including:

“These new schedules offer even more immediate value for our customers today by increasing speed, flexibility, and optionality while delivering integrated service for freight moving across the U.S.,” BNSF told its customers, which can view the schedules, along with all other BNSF intermodal schedules, using their login on the BNSF Customer Portal.

The announcement follows BNSF and CSX’s August partnership on direct domestic intermodal services between Southern California and Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.; service between Phoenix, Ariz., and Atlanta, Ga., in an aim to convert over-the-road freight to rail; and direct international intermodal services between the Port of New York and New Jersey, and Norfolk, Va., and Kansas City (see map below).

The Phoenix-to-Atlanta service had already begun, BNSF told customers Aug. 22; the other services started in September.

According to BNSF and CSX, two new 10,000-foot sidings were being added between Phoenix and Flagstaff, Ariz., “enabling more efficient meet/pass operations on the route connecting to BNSF’s Southern Transcon.”

“This collaboration between BNSF and CSX demonstrates the power of partnership, delivering greater flexibility, efficiency and value for our customers,” BNSF Group Vice President of Consumer Products Jon Gabriel said in August. “We are looking forward to these offerings providing immediate, streamlined service to the supply chain across key markets nationwide.”

Separately, Schneider National, Inc. earlier this month reported introducing Schneider Fast Track intermodal, described as “a premium solution designed for shippers with time-sensitive and high-service freight needs.” Fast Track followed the December 2024 introduction of an intermodal lane linking Mexico with the U.S. Southeast through Canadian Pacific Kansas City and CSX, both of which are Schneider’s primary Class I railroad partners, along with Union Pacific.

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Transit-oriented development (TOD) within a quarter mile of Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) light rail stations has generated $18.1 billion in direct economic impact to North Texas over the past 25 years, according to the University of North Texas (UNT) Economic Research Group, DART reported Nov. 14. This includes a $1.0 billion direct impact in the two years from 2022 to 2024 based on 37 development projects.

The findings are from the UNT Economic Research Group’s 25-year-long study, which was updated and recently released with data from 2022 to 2024 (download below).

UNT began studying the economic and fiscal impacts of DART’s light rail stations in 1999 and has continued to compile data and release regular reports on the subject over the past 25 years. (The previous updated report, 2019-2021, was released in 2024.) From DART’s initial light rail starter system to the current 93-mile light rail network, the agency’s light rail stations have continuously attracted development resulting in an influx of commerce, tax revenue, and jobs to the Dallas-Fort Worth1 region, according to UNT.

UNT’s study also found that TODs have boosted rent premiums by 10% for residential and 12.6% for commercial vs. units more than a half mile from a station, and have served as job creators, with 5,295 directly created jobs and more than $428 million in labor income in the last two years alone, according to DART.

Construction around DART stations in 2022-2024 generated $51.5 million in state and local tax revenue, the bulk of which ($25.4 million) was from sales tax related to construction of the projects, according to the report. Additionally, development around DART stations generated $21.1 million in property taxes, with $5.0 million in other state and local revenue from miscellaneous fees and fines. These numbers, DART pointed out, outpace the core pandemic years (2019-2021) when construction around DART stations generated $50.0 million ($1.4 million less) in state and local tax revenue. (See DART map below.)

“The findings are not surprising because we know over the past 25 years of study that TOD around DART light rail stations results in commerce, tax revenue, and jobs,” said Michael Carroll, UNT’s University Economist and Director of the Economic Research Group, which is described as “an interdisciplinary research platform” with expertise in regional economics, policy, economic development strategies, the creative economy, and community development. “When we center sustainable transportation in development, the result is beneficial in nearly every way.”

“When we talk about the role DART plays in the local economy, we mean that in a very literal sense, beyond just moving people to and from their jobs,” added Nadine Lee, President and CEO of DART, which also operates Silver Line regional rail, Trinity Railway Express, bus routes, GoLink on-demand service, and paratransit, moving more than 220,000 riders daily across a 700-square-mile, 13-city region. “Every dollar generated by and within development around our light rail stations has the ability improve our cities, provide economic mobility and stability to our residents, and grow opportunity for North Texas.”

According to the transit agency, the following TOD projects are under way, converting DART-owned parking at rail stations into “walkable, vibrant places”: 

• Mockingbird Station, Dallas: This mixed-use development, which will include two multifamily communities, an office tower, a hotel, and a 500-space underground DART parking lot, will soon break ground on 11 acres of DART-owned land. A new public plaza and sidewalks will connect DART transit services to the new development and the surrounding community. The first phase is expected to be finished in 2027. 
• Buckner Station, Dallas: Palladium Buckner Station, a $107 million, 304-unit mixed-income apartment community, is under construction. Palladium Buckner Station residents will have direct access to DART light rail, bus, GoLink and paratransit services. Leasing is expected to begin in late 2026.   
• Trinity Mills Station, Carrollton: EVIVA Trinity Mills is a five-story, mixed-use development with a blend of residential and retail/restaurant spaces. “At completion, this $1 billion mixed-use development on 26 acres of City- and DART-owned land will include a public esplanade, office space, additional retail and residential space, and a planned hotel with direct access to DART transit,” DART reported.
• Addison Junction, Addison: This planned $240 million mixed-use development will be built on Town- and DART-owned land surrounding the Addison Silver Line station; construction will begin next year. Addison Junction, the result of a partnership between the Town of Addison, DART, and Quadrant Investment Partners, will include offices, a hotel, entertainment, restaurants, and enhanced outdoor amenities.  

Separately, in Plano, Tex., the City Council earlier this month approved a special election in May 2026 to let voters decide whether the city should withdraw from DART services. The vote followed a Council meeting where more than 100 people spoke in opposition, “emphasizing their reliance on DART for work and medical needs,” according to FOX 4 News. “If voters choose to leave, the city plans to implement alternative microtransit and paratransit options in early 2026, though the city would still owe DART debt obligations.”

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Kneecapping is “a form of malicious wounding, in which the victim is injured in the knee, often as torture,” according to Wikipedia. Nine Republican state attorneys general used this rather strong term in a letter to the Surface Transportation Board expressing their concerns about the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger.

Attorneys General Jonathan Skrmetti (Tennessee ), Kris Kobach (Kansas), James Uthmeier (Florida), Lynn Fitch (Mississippi), Brenna Bird (Iowa), Austin Knudsen (Montana), Drew Wrigley (North Dakota), Marty Jackley (South Dakota) and Dave Yost (Ohio) on Nov. 14 wrote to the STB asking the agency “to conduct a thorough review of the proposed merger and prioritize the need for a competitive and innovative freight rail system.” Following is the full text:

“We write to express our concerns that the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will result in undue market concentration that stifles competition and therefore creates higher prices, lower reliability, and less innovation at the expense of America’s manufacturers and, ultimately, America’s consumers. An America First economy will not work if high internal shipping costs kneecap American companies’ ability to compete with foreign manufacturers. The downstream impact of the merger poses significant risk not just for our industrial base but also our agricultural producers. Ultimately, then, this merger could compromise our national security.

“Given the stakes, we encourage the Surface Transportation Board to subject this proposed merger to a thorough and exacting review in accordance with the law and STB regulations. Only if these serious concerns are assuaged should the merger be allowed to proceed.

“Our states are home to a diverse and dynamic set of industries, including chemical manufacturing, energy production, and agriculture. These key strategic American industries rely heavily on freight rail to move essential goods safely, efficiently and affordably. Yet, as the railroads have consolidated, many shippers have seen rail service suffer while costs have increased dramatically. Further freight rail consolidation could make these problems worse. It is vital that the STB determine how this merger will affect all stakeholders, including farmers, workers, consumers, and manufacturers so that increased monopolistic power does not stifle innovation and productivity in industry, put inflationary pressure on household budgets, or otherwise throttle the economy as a whole with the costs of this merger.

“Under federal law, a merger can only be approved if it is ‘consistent with the public interest.’ STB regulations make clear that ‘mergers serve the public interest only when substantial and demonstrable gains in important public benefits—such as improved service and safety, enhanced competition, and greater economic efficiency—outweigh any anticompetitive effects, potential service disruptions, or other merger-related harms.’

“No approval should be granted unless the merger clearly enhances competition, improves service for rail customers, preserves accountability, and advances safety. A merger that fails to meet these standards would be inconsistent with [POTUS 47’s] Executive Orders aimed at promoting American prosperity. A merger against the public interest would undermine the President’s policies to unleash American energy, curb anti-competitive regulations, and prevent monopolistic behavior. We cannot afford a merger that stalls America’s economic momentum.

“We respectfully ask the STB to conduct a thorough review of the proposed merger and prioritize the need for a competitive and innovative freight rail system to help support domestic producers, strengthen supply chains, and ultimately reduce the cost of consumer goods in States across the country.”

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The B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) Railroad Museum has announced that Benjamin H. Griswold IV will be joined by Steve Angel, the recently hired CSX President and CEO, to co-chair its $38 million dollar capital campaign for restoration work ahead of American railroading’s bicentennial anniversary in 2027.

Angel took on the CSX leadership role in September, following Joe Hinrichs’ departure.

The B&O was the first steam-operated railroad in the United States to be chartered as a common carrier of freight and passengers. The museum was established in 1953. In 1987, CSX, the B&O’s successor, officially transferred all land and property for the museum to a non-profit that became the B&O Railroad Museum.

The B&O Railroad Museum is a historic site located on the original grounds of the B&O. Its campus extends 40 acres into southwest/west Baltimore, Md., and features the first mile of commercial track ever laid in the country; five historic buildings, including the 1851 Mt. Clare Station (designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site); and the 1884 B&O Roundhouse.

As part of the capital campaign, the museum will restore its South Car Works building, which is said to be the oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility in the United States if not the world (1869-1990). The 33,000-square-foot building’s transformation will include an Innovation Hall to exhibit the present and future of American railroading technology, as well as educational and historical archive space. Additionally, the building will serve as the new entrance to the museum. The museum said this will allow it to “reimagine its campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore to spark community economic development and to create the CSX Bicentennial Garden.”

CSX is donating $5 million to build the garden, which will include an amphitheater and multi-use space that can host local organizations and hold community gatherings. “This installation will serve as a vibrant event space and provide a fresh, new location to welcome visitors to the museum,” the railroad reported in 2023, when it became the first corporate patron to pledge support for the campaign, along with the state of Maryland, which included a $1 million grant in its FY2024 capital budget. 

Benjamin H. Griswold IV became Co-Chair of the museum’s capital campaign in March. He is the great-great-great-great grandson of Alexander Brown, who in 1800 founded Alex. Brown & Sons, the first investment bank in the United States. “It was also at Alex’s son’s house where Baltimore [Maryland] merchants convened [in 1827] to charter the first American common carrier railroad to compete against New York merchants who were investing in the canal system,” according to the museum. “The B&O Railroad was conceived with the goal to reach the Ohio River from Baltimore to transport goods west. The B&O Railroad reached the Ohio River in 1852 and ultimately expanded over 10,000 miles.”

Griswold is a former Director of the New York Stock Exchange, Stanley Black & Decker Inc., W.P. Carey Inc. and Flowers Foods (Lead Director). He is currently Chairman Emeritus of W.P. Carey Inc. and Trustee Emeritus of the Johns Hopkins University.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the museum project was held in May 2025, and the estimated completion date is October 2026. The museum is said to have so far raised $28 million for its campaign.

“CSX, as the proud successor to America’s first commercial railroad, is committed to honoring our heritage while advancing the future of rail,” Steve Angel said. “Co-chairing the B&O Museum’s 200th Anniversary Campus Transformation Campaign is an opportunity to help shape how that story is told—connecting past achievements with the innovation driving our industry forward. This effort isn’t just about celebration; it’s about creating an experience that will educate, inspire, and strengthen the connection between railroading and the communities it serves.”

“I’m thrilled to have Steve Angel join me as co-chair of the B&O Railroad Museum’s capital campaign,” Griswold said. “I look forward to working with him and am confident that together we will honor railroading’s legacy, celebrate its 200th anniversary, and prepare the museum and surrounding community for a bright future.”

“We’re extremely honored that Steve Angel, President and CEO of CSX, is joining the campaign as co-chair,” said Kris Hoellen, Executive Director of the B&O Railroad Museum. “Steve is a visionary and understands that the museum’s campus transformation is not just about celebrating our past, but also about leveraging our heritage to propel the Museum into its next 200 years. One could not ask for a stronger team at the helm than Steve and Ben!”

• B&O Museum Kicks off 200th Anniversary of Railroading With Official Website
• RSI Signs on as B&O Museum Bicentennial Partner

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The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineering and Trainmen (BLET) on Nov. 11 ratified a new five-year agreement with the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad (WNYP), governing rates of pay, benefits, and work rules.

The agreement with WNYP, which extends across southwestern New York and northwestern Pennsylvania from Hornell, N.Y., to Meadville, Pa., and Oil City, Pa., and north and south of Olean, N.Y., runs through 2030 and provides for a guaranteed 40-hour work week, a signing bonus, and annual general wage increases throughout its duration, according to the union. The agreement also includes improvements to holiday pay, paid time off, and other provisions.

Members governed by this agreement belong to BLET Division 16, the union’s Short Line division. The negotiating team consisted of Grievance Chairman Frank Graves and National Vice President James Logan.

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I will attempt to clarify a rather “interesting” indirect exchange involving Union Pacific’s Jim Vena, who hopes to one day head the first East-West U.S. transcontinental Class I railroad, and BNSF’s Katie Farmer, who prefers that Uncle Pete doesn’t get to cross the Mississippi River and repaint Norfolk Southern’s black and white locomotives yellow. I don’t think Jim would consent to a new yellow and black combined scheme. It would look too much like a bumblebee, and he most certainly wouldn’t want snarky references to the merger being “bumbled” if things go south if the STB approves this ginormous transaction. Besides, bumblebees are docile (for bees) fuzzy little creatures interested only in flowers and procreation. That description does not fit UP, which the late Railway Age Senior Editor Gus Welty long-ago described as “an 800-pound gorilla in a stall shower.”

So, what’s all the latest buzz about (pun intended)? Let’s look at in three steps.

Step 1: BNSF Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Tom G. Williams fired off a Sept. 29 Customer Notification urging shippers to oppose UP+NS and “tell the STB to say no to unchecked market power and the loss of competitive options that you’ll never get back.” Williams’ letter provided customers a detailed “step-by-step” guide on a dedicated website, “Preserve Rail Competition,” on how the merger process works, and how to file comments with the STB and/or raise concerns “confidentially” with the U.S. Department of Justice, among other measures. As well, “if you would prefer not to file the letter yourself, we can file it for you,” BNSF said, proving an email link, MessageUs@BNSF.com.

Among BNSF’s red flags: “300 intermodal lanes [will be] eliminated if [the] merger is approved. After the [most recent] major round of mergers [in the late 1990s], 90 intermodal facilities closed, resulting in several hundred fewer intermodal lane options and communities permanently losing their intermodal access.”

Step 2: Jim Vena was asked about this at the Nov. 11 Baird 2025 Global Industrial Conference in Chicago. He refuted BNSF’s claims (this is from the transcript):

“Bottom line is they (Berkshire Hathaway) got $330 billion of cash available. If they wanted to buy something, they have it. It is up to them … they put out a two-pager, and I have got it sitting in my bathroom wall next to the sink with the toothpaste. It says we are going to shut down 300 lanes. I go, really? Why would we shut off 300 lanes? First of all, we do not have 300 lanes like in Intermodal. There [are] not that many lanes, like one that goes north out of LA, another one that goes to Chicago, another one that goes to Memphis, another one goes to Atlanta. Like, what the heck lanes do we have? I had to ask Kenny {Rocker], are you hiding 290 lanes from me that I do not understand? {BNSF] said we are going to shut down that many. I laugh. I find it interesting that Berkshire is coming after us that hard. In fact, why do I call them Berkshire? I will be honest so anybody can hear it. We are actually Union Pacific and we own a railroad. I am the CEO of Union Pacific Railroad (Yes, Jim we know. No need to make the obvious less obscure). What is humorous about it is some people at Burlington Northern Santa Fe were taken aback that I would call them Berkshire. Last time I looked, that is the publicly traded company, just like Union Pacific. I have to have some fun too.”  (Don’t we all?)

Vena also had some comments about CPKC, which is also opposed to the merger:

“Service agreements are good. You can see what happened with the service agreement that Norfolk Southern had with Canadian Pacific over the Meridian Speedway. Kansas City Southern … used to allow an 11,000-foot train to operate. All of a sudden, when Canadian Pacific took over, in the [past] few months, decided to cut back the train size that was always handled before the merger and even since the merger. At the end of the day, that is the problem. [CPKC] is saying to us, you are going to have to run two trains at Union Pacific. If we have to, we will run two trains. That is the way it is. The first question we asked [CPKC] was, why? What changed from five years of being able to run an 11,000-foot train from L.A. all the way into that market, and now you cannot? That is what you have to be careful with some of those deals. They break down…”

Step 3 (and here’s where it gets a bit confusing): BNSF on Nov. 12 issued a statement from Katie Farmer in response to Vena’s comments:

“At the Baird 55th Annual Conference Tuesday in Chicago, Union Pacific Corp. made comments indicating that [more than] 300 intermodal lanes will not be closed where there is an origin or destination currently on BNSF and Norfolk Southern or Union Pacific and CSX if the merger is approved. ‘I’m sure the nation’s rail customers are relieved that UP is committing to keep all current intermodal lanes open if their merger with NS is approved,’ said Katie Farmer, president and CEO, BNSF Railway. ‘UP highlighted in prior rail industry mergers that the new merged railroad usually raises rates on competing interchange partners to the point of making those lanes economically uncompetitive.”

Now, here the source of my initial confusion:

“Yesterday’s announcement is consistent with Union Pacific’s position during the last major merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern where Union Pacific’s filings at the Surface Transportation Board made the following arguments opposing the merger of the two smallest Class I railroads: ‘If the Board does authorize the transaction, shippers should not have to rely on CPKC’s “good faith.” The Board should impose conditions to prevent the reduction of competitive options at gateways, particularly the Laredo Gateway. (UP Comments and Request for Conditions, Canadian Pacific Railway—Control—Kansas City Southern, FD Docket No. 36500, at 9.) In short, Applicants would face enormous post-merger pressure to divert traffic from existing KCSM interline service to CPKC single-line service using strategies that reduce shippers’ existing competitive options… CPKC would have the ability to implement such anticompetitive strategies by raising rates shippers must pay for interline service or degrading the quality of service shippers receive when using interline service. Id. at 26.’”

I thought, OK, what does the CPKC merger and UP’s comments to the STB a few years ago have to with UP acquiring NS? To me, people reading Katie’s statement could infer that BNSF may be changing or modifying its position on the UP+NS merger. Is there something I’m not getting here?

So, I pulled a Ricky Ricardo and said to BNSF, “You got some ’splainin to do!”

BNSF VP Corporate Relations Zak Anderson was more than happy to provide some context for my pointy little head. In a nutshell, Katie’s observations and reference to CPKC has to do with rates. Money. It’s that simple. The issue is not UP physically shutting down an intermodal lane. Rather, it’s UP ensuring the lane is “economically open.” Take the Laredo/Nuevo Laredo U.S. Mexico border Gateway, the busiest, for example. CPKC owns and operates it. UP has trackage rights. The rates one or the other charges can vary greatly.

So, according to BNSF, a UP intermodal lane can remain open. The question is, will there be too much of a price spread between what UP will charge (presumably lower) and what BNSF charges on a competing lane that will give an unfair competitive advantage to UP?

That’s what UP said about CPKC to the STB during that merger process (and you can download and read Canadian Pacific’s response at the time, below). BNSF is citing that as an example for UP+NS, though to be honest it wasn’t very clear.

Now it is. Right?

I’ll conclude with my two cents on use of the words “America” and “American” in UP’s language. Perhaps you’ve noted that in many instances I’ve substituted “United States” or “U.S.” in brackets. I’m married to an immigrant from Argentina, which is in South America. To me and my wife, “America” represents the entire Western Hemisphere—North America (Canada, U.S., Mexico), Central America (Panama, etc.) and South America (Argentina, Brazil, etc.). Union Pafic and Norfolk Southern would represent the first U.S. transcontinental, not the first American. Transcon. CPKC has always been correctly referred to as a North American transnational.

It’s up to Jim Vena and UP if he wishes to substitute “United States” for the patriotic “America,” in the name of accuracy. But the United States of America is a free country, and we can say what we want, right?

Within reason, of course.

The post BNSF vs. UP, Take Three appeared first on Railway Age.

Houston, Tex.-based HyOrc Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cincinnati, Ohio-based Zeltech (Zero-Emission Locomotive Technologies LLC) to jointly develop alternative fuel-powered locomotives for freight rail use in the United States.

“The collaboration will focus initially on a California-based pilot project, where the partners plan to engage with the California Energy Commission (CEC) and other agencies for grant support,” HyOrc reported Nov. 10. “The program aims to demonstrate HyOrc’s patented external-combustion powertrain, a zero-emission, multi-fuel system that can operate on hydrogen, natural gas, or renewable fuels, offering freight operators a cost-effective path to decarbonization.”

HyOrc is described as a “clean energy company” that “develops and commercializes patented hydrogen-capable combustion and waste-to-fuel systems for the shipping, rail, and off-grid power sectors”; its core technologies are said to be green methanol production from municipal waste and engine systems for transport and power.

Zeltech offers a line of battery-electric switchers and industrial units, which are built on existing diesel-electric cores (trucks, frames, cabs, air compressor and brake systems) and use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistry lithium-ion batteries; included are 4-axle endcab switchers and road switchers (from 1,000 hp to 2,300 hp) and 6-axle road switchers (from 2,000 hp to 3,000 hp).

“This partnership marks HyOrc’s entry into the North American rail market,” HyOrc President Andrea Magalini said in the announcement. “Zeltech’s rail expertise and our proven powertrain technology create a strong foundation for clean, scalable freight transport.”

“Zeltech’s mission has always been to develop environmentally friendly zero-emission locomotives,” Zetech President and Owner Tom Mack told Railway Age on Nov. 14. “The use of the HyOrc engine technology will give railroads a zero-emission longer-range alternative to straight battery-electric locomotives without having to move to expensive fuel cell technology. The HyOrc engine’s support of multiple fuels, including hydrogen, renewable natural gas, LPG, and even alcohol fuels such as e-methanol, fits right in with Zeltech’s goal for producing the lowest maintenance, clean locomotives, using 100% renewable fuel options. We look forward to offering a range of locomotive models that will fit with North American railroad strategies and requirements, while offering the widest choice of fuels for hybrid locomotives for longer routes.”

The technology, he noted, could be scaled for switching or passenger rail operations.

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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANY/NJ) on Nov. 13 proposed a $45 billion 2026–2035 Capital Plan, which would provide $2.6 billion to PATH for service increases, including the return of daily operations on all four rapid transit lines; all new uptown tracks; and new fare gates and technology, including CCTV and artificial intelligence, to identify patterns of fare evasion and develop strategies to deter evasion and enforce fare payment.

The Capital Plan (download presentation below) also proposes a fare increase of $0.25 beginning in summer 2026 for the 117-year-old rail system, with additional $0.25 increases each January from 2027 through 2029.

The fare hike, PANY/NJ said, will help to “sustain operations and fund major service increases,” since PATH’s operations are unique among major U.S. transit systems in that it receives no dedicated state or federal funds. Fares cover only about 25% of the actual cost of each ride and the Port Authority subsidizes the remaining 75%.

The 2026-2035 Capital Plan is slated to fund a series of PATH service increases, in addition to seven-day-a-week operations on all four lines for the first time in 25 years:

• Increased weekend service to 33 St starting in 2026, with additional increases in 2027.
• Direct weekend service on Journal Square-33 St and Hoboken-World Trade Center lines by mid-2026.
• Increased morning rush hour service on Hoboken-World Trade Center line in 2026.
• Doubling Friday late-night service to match Saturday late-night service in mid-2026.
• Additional trains during morning and evening rush hours and weekend daytimes on Newark-World Trade Center line in first half of 2027.

These changes, PANY/NJ said, were developed in direct response to rider feedback and community outreach efforts, and the results of a September 2025 survey of more than 1,000 PATH riders. Riders consistently identified weekday rush hour and weekend daytime service as their top priorities for improved frequency, it noted.

Beyond service increases, PANY/NJ said PATH is planning “additional initiatives to further streamline and modernize the passenger experience, including expansion of the popular TAPP tap-to-go fare payment system.”

According to PANY/NJ, the 2017-2025 Capital Plan provided PATH with $3 billion to:

• Replace an outdated signal network with a $1 billion state-of-the-art system, allowing more trains to run closer together safely and making PATH “one of the first railroads in the country to implement automatic and positive train control.”
• Invest in the $430 million PATH Forward program, which repaired aging stations (Hoboken, Grove St, Newport, and Exchange Pl.), tracks, and switches to “deliver a smoother, more reliable experience” for riders. Completion is scheduled for early 2026.
• Replace and expand the outdated Harrison PATH station.
• Purchase 72 new railcars from Kawasaki, expanding the fleet by 20%. Platforms were extended to run nine-car trainsets on the Newark-World Trade Center line during peak hours, boosting capacity by 12% and reducing crowding in the system. 
• Complete critical efforts to repair damage from Superstorm Sandy, making stations and tunnels more resilient against future storms.
• Implement new customer-focused features, including a tap-to-pay fare payment system, updated countdown clocks, and the RidePATH app.

“The concluding [PANY/NJ] capital plan provided the roadmap and funding for an historic decade of achievement at the Port Authority,” said Kevin O’Toole, Chairman of PANY/NJ. “This record $45 billion proposed 2026-2035 Capital Plan builds on a 104-year legacy of connecting this region through bold, forward-looking, best-in-class infrastructure that will drive our economy. It’s a defining moment for our agency, proving that we deliver what we promise as we continue to raise the standard for what public infrastructure can achieve.”

O’Toole added: “For more than a century, PATH has evolved alongside the region it serves, and this service expansion marks the start of a new, exciting chapter in that story. With PATH Forward drawing to a close, the critical work that was part of that program has allowed us to propose restoring seven-day-a-week service across every line for the first time in a generation alongside other major service upgrades. This is a tangible sign of how far PATH has come and how ready it now is to meet the demands of the future.”

“This proposed 2026-2035 Capital Plan is about building on real, measurable progress and delivering the next chapter of transformation across our facilities,” PANY/NJ Executive Director Rick Cotton said. “Over a decade of achievement, we’ve turned once-doubted visions into tangible, award-winning results, from world-class airport terminals and new bridges to a revitalized PATH system, and we are not letting up.”

“Behind the scenes, PATH teams have been working tirelessly to rebuild and modernize this 117-year-old system from the ground up,” PATH Director/General Manager Clarelle DeGraffe said. “From replacing decades-old track and switch infrastructure to upgrading stations and railcars, every project has been aimed at creating a stronger foundation for better service. Thanks to that effort and the patience of our riders, we’re now in a position to propose meaningful service improvements across all lines and all days of the week.”

According to PANY/NJ, PATH has seen significant ridership growth in recent months, including its second-busiest month since the pandemic in September 2025 when it carried 5.5 million riders. This was 79% of pre-pandemic September 2019 ridership. Nearly 218,000 customers rode PATH during the average weekday in September, a new post-pandemic record for the system. Weekend ridership, PANY/NJ said, continues to match or exceed pre-pandemic figures with about 118,000 Saturday riders and 86,000 Sunday riders in September 2025.

PANY/NJ on Nov. 13 also released its 2026 budget proposal totaling $10.1 billion. Of that, $4.1 billion in capital funding is set to begin advancing work outlined in the 2026-2035 Capital Plan. Capital funding in the 2026 budget is 14% above capital funding in the 2025 budget. This includes the ongoing transformation of JFK, a major ramp-up in construction of the new Midtown Bus Terminal, a new entry point to the Newark Airport Rail Station opening by the end of 2026, continued work on the new AirTrain Newark, improved reliability of PATH’s railcar fleet and track infrastructure, and continued funding for essential work to keep the agency’s infrastructure in a state-of-good repair.

Operating funds in the 2026 budget proposal total $4.3 billion, funding the agency’s day-to-day operations that will include significant PATH service increases, according to PANY/NJ. The agency is projecting “robust” passenger and cargo volumes in 2026, including a record of more than 148 million passengers at its airports, 122.4 million vehicles at its bridge and tunnel crossings, 62 million riders on PATH across the year to reach a new high of 75% of pre-pandemic levels, 8.5 million TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) at the seaport, and 60 million visitors to the World Trade Center campus. The budget also includes $1.7 billion in debt service payments to meet the PANY/NJ’s debt obligations.

PANY/NJ said it is “committed to thoroughly soliciting public input” as it considers the 2026-2035 Capital Plan. Six public hearings have been scheduled at multiple locations across the region and at varying times of day.

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“With volume decreases, port, terminal, and ocean carrier operations remain at normal levels and should remain so through November,” said ITS Logistics Vice President of Global Supply Chain Paul Brashier. “However, there are some items we are keeping a close eye on that could drastically change the landscape in North American port and ramp operations.”

The firm reported that U.S. container imports totaled 2,306,687 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) for the month of October, down 7.5% compared to 2024. While the month-over-month decrease was a marginal 0.1%, the decrease “represents a divergence from typical seasonal trends, reflecting continued shipper hesitancy and a reliance on frontloaded inventory.”

Despite overall decline, China-origin imports grew for the time since August, leading modest volume gains from top U.S. trading partners with a 5.4% month-over-month increase, according to the report. “The past several months have seen a turbulent series of trade discussions between [POTUS 47] and President Xi Jinping, which recently concluded with [POTUS 47] agreeing to cut fentanyl-linked tariffs on Beijing, bringing overall duties on Chinese goods to 47%. And on Monday, both the U.S. and China announced a one-year suspension of port call fees, a move that many argued would not only increase import costs but severely impact secondary ports across the country.”

Tariff uncertainty, ITS Logistics reports, continues to be a primary driver of depressed import activity, according to industry analysts. On Nov. 5, the Supreme Court heard the first oral arguments in the POTUS 47 Administration’s tariffs case, marking a “new and contentious” chapter. “If the Supreme Court finds [POTUS 47’s] tariffs were enacted illegally, it [will] offer immediate relief for shippers while also opening the door for challenges and questions related to refunding the roughly $1 trillion dollars paid by importers since April. The administration says it is already exploring alternative routes for enforcing import duties in the event the ruling is overturned. For now, both shippers and consumers remain cautious and purposeful in their holiday spending. Holiday shoppers are expecting to spend 10% less than last year, per Deloitte’s 2025 Holiday Retail Survey.”

“Outside the ports, the trucking market is enduring its own legislative limbo as states react to evolving legislation surrounding non-domiciled drivers and English language proficiency (ELP) requirements,” ITS Logistics reported. “Following the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) September announcement freezing the issuance and renewal of non-domiciled CDLs, state agencies, shippers, carriers, and intermediaries have scrambled to understand expectations in remaining compliant, as well as how the ruling would impact overall capacity in the market. This week, however, an Appeals Court has temporarily blocked the enforcement of this ruling, citing a failure to follow proper procedure. With the administrative stay in place indefinitely, state agencies may continue issuing and renewing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses to non-citizens. The ruling does not, however, pause enforcement of renewed English language proficiency (ELP) requirements, which have been heavily enforced through roadside compliance checks since July.”

“It is estimated that as many as 600,000 drivers could be removed from the U.S. driver ecosystem due to non-domiciled drivers and ELP enforcement,” Brashier said. “This, in addition to the acceleration of trucking companies exiting the market, could create trucking capacity issues for most shippers. It is a situation we are monitoring closely.”

ITS Logistics each month releases the ITS Logistics U.S. Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index, which forecasts port container and dray operations for the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf regions. Ocean and domestic container rail ramp operations are also highlighted in the index for both the West Inland and East Inland regions.

The post ITS Logistics Issues November US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index appeared first on Railway Age.

In April 2019, Matt Rose stepped down as BNSF Executive Chairman. At the end of his tenure, Rose had been Executive Chairman for six years, and BNSF President and CEO for the prior 13 years. During his tenure as CEO, he helped guide the acquisition of BNSF by Berkshire Hathaway in 2009. Thus, we believe he is uniquely qualified to offer public commentary on the proposed UP-NS merger.

Some of those comments, observations and opinions were published in a recent commentary. Rose observed: “In 2001 the Surface Transportation Board, the railroad’s federal regulator, issued new merger rules …that require a proposed merger to enhance competition.”

“Enhance” is a verb meaning to “intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of.” In our professional opinion busting open the existing Norfolk Southern intermodal monopoly at Harrisburg, Pa., would provide an excellent real-world opportunity to genuinely “enhance” competition.

According to. Rose, “Proponents of the merger case will argue that eliminating gateways, the locations where freight is handed off between railroads, will move more traffic from the highway to the rail network. But (according to Rose), intermodal networks (like the one operated by BNSF)—which move imported goods from Asia and elsewhere—already are highly efficient and create little frictional delays at gateways.”

If Jim Vena wanted to check out current North American rail operations on the ground, he would notice that the Chicago market is very well served by a large volume of dedicated double-stack intermodal unit trains handling steamship containers carrying goods from multiple Asian origins. These trains operate direct from West Coast ports of entry (in both the U.S. and Canada) to Chicago. No interchange is required, since most if not all of them terminate in Chicago.

In 1990, when Vena was at CN (where he spent 40 years), I started working for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. In that year, the railroad was advertising what was arguably the hottest intermodal train on the Santa Fe system (or anywhere in the country). It was called the QNYLA, with an advertised scheduled of 76 hours “coast-to-coast.” It consistently ran on time and rarely if ever was delayed in the Chicago Terminal. This train was and continues to be the epitome of a highly efficient operation and consistently encounters little “frictional delays” at gateways like Chicago.

In November 1989, then Santa Fe Railway President Mike Haverty personally chose the QNYLA for the now-famous railroad “field trip” with Johnnie Bryant Hunt, Sr. that resulted in the famous “handshake” that launched one of the most successful business partnerships in modern railroad history.

For some strange reason, railroad executives love to talk tough about “taking trucks off the roads.” What a joke! In my opinion, most of these so-called rail industry experts do not have the slightest idea what they are talking about. They have been part of the same “gang” that has been losing market share to truckers for almost 100 years now.

America’s trucking industry consists of a highly decentralized collection of entrepreneurial businesses that have elevated mass customization into an art form. By contrast, railroads are large, bureaucratic and incredibly difficult for most customers to deal with. Their marketing approach is one size fits all and any color the customer wants, as long as it’s black and white, or yellow, or orange and green, or blue and silver, or …

The fundamental difference here is between a transport mode operating in a 100% open access marketplace vs. one still hanging on to a marketplace characterized by outdated monopolistic practices.

Those of you still keeping score may be interested in the latest update from Bob Costello, chief economist American Trucking Associations (ATA), who wrote, “With changing supply chains and shifting freight markets … typical of the challenging environment that motor carriers dealt with in 2024, the industry still delivered more than 72% of all domestic freight tonnage in the U.S.”

This reality from both the highway and the marketplace provides new meaning to the phrase “If you got it a truck brought it.”

Now some random thoughts about the proposed UP-NS merger proposal.

Let’s start with talking about the “myth” of the watershed. This “myth” seems to promise vast new untapped sources of rail traffic simply by reducing interchange “complexities” with something new called “seamless service.” Personally, this reminds one of the early Spanish explorers, like Francisco Coronado searching for the mythical Cities of Cibola (“Seven Cities of Gold”).

So exactly, how “underserved” is the “Mississippi River Watershed” area, and underserved by whom?

Outside of major metropolitan areas in the watershed area, the only remaining intermodal terminals are two in Council Bluffs, and one each in Rochelle and Decatur, Ill. BNSF also has a mechanized terminal just across the river from Council Bluffs in Omaha. There are also three recently opened terminals in northwest Wisconsin, near St. Paul.

However, infrastructure and market access in the Midwest for the highly competitive trucking industry presents a radically different picture.

ATA-owned Transport Topics on June 20, 2025 released its 2025 Top 100 For-Hire Carriers list. Assembled by the editorial staff, this is an annual listing of the largest trucking companies in North America ranked primarily by annual carrier revenues. Two of the top five motor carriers on this year’s list are also long-time BNSF intermodal customers. Once again, ranked #1 (by current revenues) is the UPS, Inc., with more than 19,000 power units. Ranked #3 (by current revenues) is the J.B. Hunt Transport Services, with 20,500 tractors (vs. 14,700 for competitor Schneider). As information, the Midwest contains the greatest concentration (by geographic region) of commercial trucking operations in the U.S. Of the Transport Topics Top 100, one-third operated in the 12 Midwest states (with more than a quarter of these domiciled there). This represents the largest regional concentration in the U.S.

Based on my professional experience and on-the-ground observations, some of the better known carriers based in the heartland include Werner Enterprises (Omaha); Prime, Inc. (Springfield, Mo.); Crete Carriers, (Lincoln, Neb.); Heartland Express (North Liberty, Iowa); Hirschbach Motor Lines (Dubuque, Iowa); CRST (Cedar Rapids, Iowa); Marten Transport (Mondavi, Wisc.); and Roehl Transport (Marshfield, Wisc.). Some of these truckers are also intermodal players. Werner was estimated to have a fleet of around 550 domestic containers. Schneider last reported about 26,000 domestic containers, down slightly from the year before. Prime has the second largest fleet of intermodal refrigerated containers, after JBHT. Marten has the third largest container fleet, right behind Prime. Combined, they still have fewer than JBHT.

This Midwest list also includes Schneider, domiciled in Green Bay, Wisc., and reporting 14,500 tractors. Given its physical location. it is probably a safe bet Schneider already has numerous strong commercial relationships with shippers located in the watershed and may already be moving significant quantities of freight in the region. Schneider is also a recent convert to Union Pacific’s intermodal service. Does it the intermodal equivalent of the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” for determining the real and honest impact of the UP-NS merger?

Then there is the impact of the private fleet operators, the largest of which is now retail giant Walmart Inc., which claimed the No. 1 position for a second straight year after slightly expanding its tractor fleet to 12,696 power units. Private fleets reportedly also transport a significant amount of their own freight to help reduce empty backhaul miles. This for-hire vs. private competition for the same freight presents a unique challenge in the marketplace for all for-hire carriers, especially intermodal providers.

I must confess being surprised to learn Walmart briefly experimented with its own domestic container fleet. I always thought the high service levels required by a private fleet precluded little if any use of domestic intermodal. Walmart started this fleet in 2019, peaked to approximately 15,500 units and was eventually sold off to J.B. Hunt in 2024. Walmart reportedly found it extremely challenging to manage/operate a relatively small fleet of 53-foot domestic containers within its vast collection of privately owned highway trailers and tractors. Also, at the end of the day, Walmart reportedly discovered J.B. Hunt Intermodal could provide the same level of service for a lower total cost (and much less hassle) than trying to do it themselves.

Additional private truck operators in the Midwest include Ashley Furniture Industries (Arcadia, Wisc.), which is also an intermodal customer importing product from Asia through the Canadian West Coast ports. I’m not sure how much domestic Ashley uses.

The big surprise for Union Pacific may be that JB Hunt Intermodal is already very active in the watershed region. Two of the largest consumer products shippers in the region and the nation are S.C. Johnson, a very large consumer products company located in Racine County, Wisc., and Quaker Oats, operator of the world’s largest cereal plant, located in Cedar Rapids. J.B. Hunt Intermodal is reportedly the incumbent carrier for both facilities/customers.

And contrary to what UP would have you believe, major markets in Ohio are relatively well-served by rail intermodal today. The new BNSF rail intermodal terminal in North Baltimore, Ohio, also served by CSX is located about 260 highway miles east of Chicago and 36 miles due south of Toledo along I-75. Thus, BNSF and its partner J.B. Hunt Intermodal can now provide high quality door-to-door intermodal service to/from most of the Buckeye State.

Colliers International bills itself as a “global leader in real estate services and investment management.” On June 2, 2025, it released its latest list of The 25 Top U.S. Industrial and Logistics Markets. According to Colliers’ analysis, these 25 markets represent 76% of U.S. industrial activity. I would argue these 25 markets also represent where most of the domestic U.S. freight market can be found. If you eliminate the eight markets anchored by major seaports, almost 60% of the remaining markets are in the Midwest. Anchored by Chicago, nine of these are all located within about a 400-mile radius of Chicago. The Interstate Highway system helps facilitate this hub-and-spoke network, since in the Midwest all roads lead to the Windy City.

In a separate Colliers report, “Emerging U.S. Markets” Omaha and Dayton, Ohio were added to the Midwest mix.

If you combine the Colliers findings with the fact that the largest concentration of commercial truckers is also operating more or less within in the same 400- mile radius of Chicago, the conclusion, as I see it, is that the Midwest is overwhelmingly a regional transportation and distribution market. Remember that commercial trucking is historically a regional business, with an average length of haul now somewhere in the 400–500-mile range.

Heartland Express is truckload carrier based in North Liberty, Iowa. In the For-Hire trucking category, it would be ranked #38 nationwide based on 2025 annual revenues. Heartland’s corporate motto is “Service for Success.” I offer it—a personal favorite—as “Exhibit A” in the analysis of motor carrier length of haul and quality of service.

According to its most recent Annual Report, “Serving the short-to-medium haul market permits us to use primarily single rather than team drivers and dispatch most loads directly from origin to destination without an intermediate equipment change other than for driver scheduling purposes. During 2024, approximately 75% of our loads were less than 500 miles in length of haul.

“We operate 28 terminal facilities throughout the contiguous U.S. and one in Mexico following the CFI acquisition, in addition to our terminal and corporate headquarters in North Liberty, Iowa, about 20 miles south of Cedar Rapids at the junction of I-380 and I-80. These terminal locations are strategically located to concentrate on regional freight movements generally within a 500-mile radius of the terminals.

“We target customers with multiple, time-sensitive shipments, including those utilizing ‘just-in-time’ manufacturing and inventory management. In seeking these customers, we have positioned our business as a provider of premium service at compensatory rates, rather than competing solely on the basis of price.”

Another interesting regional carrier is Werner Enteprises, based in Omaha, (right on the western edge of the “watershed”). Based on 2025 annual revenues, Werner would rank #18 nationally, with 4,840 tractors by the end of 2024. According to its website, “We deliver unsurpassed supply chain solutions to the global marketplace.”  Werner also offers a service branded as “Werner Intermodal” offering “nationwide” service. According to its 2024 Annual Report intermodal revenues represented 13%of total Werner Logistics segment revenues. Fleet size was reported as 200 containers.

Within its TTS Segment, which includes One-Way Truckload and Dedicated operations, Werner reported “average completed trip length in miles (loaded)” of 582 miles in 2024 and 590 miles in 2023,” slightly longer than Heartland but still well below the accepted intermodal minimum requirement.

If rail intermodal service needs a minimum linehaul of 750 miles to be viable, then this collection of assumptions and conclusions is probably not good news for the railroad industry. I would also argue that at least in the Midwest, especially in the “watershed,” conventional intermodal is probably permanently relegated to a position of niche carrier.

According to the Union Pacific website, “This combination will help win back U.S. freight volume and jobs by competing more effectively with Canadian transcontinental railroads. Cross-border competition: For 100-plus years, Canadian railroads have threatened U.S. jobs and supply chains. The U.S. supply chain will benefit from a stronger American transcontinental option.”

Oh, those awful, evil Canadians, threatening U.S. jobs and supply chains! But wait a minute: Isn’t Jim Vena Canadian by birth?

Fact check time once again for Vena. In November 1995, the Canadian government decided to privatize Canadian National. Today, CN is a publicly traded company, and its stock is listed on both the Toronto and New York exchanges. The irony here is that for many years after going public, most outstanding CN shares were reportedly owned by U.S. citizens.

My favorite example of all the nonsense and silliness coming from Vena lately are his comments about the competitive impact of the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C. Prince Rupert is Canada’s ace in the hole when it comes to global supply chain management. Canada’s strategic advantage here is a perfect example of the old adage, “location, location, location.” It also has very little to do with railroads.

According to the Prince Rupert Port Authority website, “The Port of Prince Rupert offers shippers an unparalleled mix of speed, reliability, and reach for connecting Asian and North American markets. Commonly referred to in the marine industry as ‘The Rupert Advantage,’ especially as it relates to our intermodal capabilities, the Port of Prince Rupert stands out in a crowd.”

The Port Prince Rupert is North America’s closest port to Asia by up to three days sailing—it’s 36 hours closer to Shanghai than Vancouver and more than 68 hours closer than Los Angeles. It is 500 nautical miles closer than other ports in the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle and Tacoma. This can save up to 60 hours’ sailing time. As an example, this translates to 11 days sailing time from Shanghai to Prince Rupert vs. 14 sailing days Shanghai to Los Angeles. This geographic advantage means that a steamship container unloaded at Prince Rupert can probably be in Chicago before a competitively routed box can even be unloaded at the Port of Long Beach. No railroad, not even Vena’s proposed transcontinental one, can ever undo that competitive advantage.

CN’s main line along the Skeena River connects Prince Rupert with the rest of Canada. This route represents “the flattest rail grade through the Rocky Mountains, in effect a water-level crossing of Canada’s Pacific Divide. Compare that with the climb over Cajon Pass to get out of the Southern California Basin.

In conclusion, there is the small matter of the HMF (Harbor Maintenance Fee). The HMF, sometimes referred to as the Harbor Maintenance Tax, is a fee charged on cargo shipped through U.S. ports. It helps fund the maintenance and improvement of these ports. This fee is applied to commercial cargo shipped via ocean freight. The fee is imposed by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and deposited into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. The fee is calculated based 0.125% on the total value of the commercial cargo, including the cost of shipping and insurance. The average fee per box is reportedly about US$100.

James A. Giblin has more than 40 years’ experience in rail, truck and intermodal freight transportation, warehousing and logistics, much of it in the greater Chicago area. He has lived in the Chicago area most of his adult life and is intimately familiar with the region’s freight and passenger rail infrastructure. For six years he is proud to say, “He made his run and made his pay on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe.” In recent years, his professional experience has expanded and diversified to include numerous public sector clients and projects in communities and municipalities across Chicago’s south suburbs. He submitted written testimony as regional rail industry expert in favor of CN/EJ&E merger to the Surface Transportation Board and testified at the STB’s September 2008 Chicago hearing in favor of transaction. Jim is a former multi-year Chair of the Education Committee of the Traffic Club of Chicago. The opinions expressed here are his own, not those of Railway Age.

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Norfolk Southern’s (NS) first two “Landmark Series” locomotives recently rolled out of the Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, Pa., each showcasing the name of a city that helped shape the railroad’s history and “America’s story.”

The Birmingham and the Atlanta (SD70IACs 1230 and 1231) made their official debut on Nov. 13, pulling NS business cars for a special Tracks of Hope event in support of Hope Atlanta, an NS-supported organization that works to serve people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, the railroad told Railway Age. “Guests embarked on a unique rail journey through Atlanta, experiencing the city from a new perspective while supporting Hope Atlanta’s critical programs that provide housing, resources and hope to local families in need,” according to Class I railroad, which Hope Atlanta recognized in October as “Corporate Hero of the Year.”

The locomotives in this new series will travel NS’s 19,500-plus route-mile network spanning 22 states and the District of Columbia, operating in freight revenue service, as well leading the railroad’s inspection trains. They will pay tribute to the communities that “keep America moving forward,” according to NS.

“These locomotives aren’t just machines—they’re growth engines for the U.S. economy,” said NS Chief Operating Officer John Orr, who Railway Age recently named as 2026 Railroader of the Year. “Each city we highlight is a center of economic activity that strengthens our network and drives commerce across the nation.”

The Landmark Series units will join NS’s fleet of 23 heritage units. The team at Juniata began painting predecessor-railroad color schemes onto locomotives in 2012 as part of NS’s 30th anniversary. Among them: Pennsylvania; Nickel Plate Road; Norfolk & Western; Conrail; Lehigh Valley; Delaware & Hudson (EMD SD70ACe No. 1080), which was released in June; and Tennessee, Alabama & Georgia (Wabtec AC44C6M), which debuted in December 2024. The Lackawanna 1074 was recently restored. The railroad also has a Thoroughbred Locomotive celebrating NS railroaders.

Meanwhile, NS Operations leaders recently gathered for the fourth NS Safety Summit in the past two years, which focused on “improving communication and strengthening our commitment to the core value of safety,” the railroad reported Nov. 13. The summit was said to provide an opportunity to review performance, recognize what’s working, and act on what can be done better. Groups from Transportation, Engineering, Mechanical, Network Operations, Intermodal and Automotive Operations, NSPD, Enterprise Resources, Safety, and the Elkhart LSSC (Local Safety and Service Committee) shared notes.

“Focus, teamwork, extreme ownership, and accountability were common threads across discussions,” NS reported. “Leaders emphasized that every NS railroader must live the core value of safety every day, taking personal and team accountability to lead with clarity and intention.”

“There’s a lot of distractions,” noted Dewayne Swindall, NS VP Intermodal and Automotive Operations. “We’re pulled in a lot of directions, and we see that in the numbers when we lose focus. We also see the positive impact when we regain our focus and provide the right leadership and guidance in the field.”

“Safety and service are two things that cannot be compromised at NS,” NS Chief Safety Officer John Fleps said.

NS also has announced the 20 recipients of its first Trades on Track Scholarship program, with each one awarded $5,000 toward their education or training in a trade “essential to rail operations.”

The program, developed in partnership with the Skillpointe Foundation, supports students pursuing technical education that leads to careers in welding, electrical engineering, conducting, and other essential trade fields.

Among the honorees are:

• Amanda Lang – Pittsburgh – Trade focus: Construction/electrical.
• Sinaca Stinson – Birmingham, Ala. – Trade focus: Manufacturing/machinery.
• John Santana – Chicago – Trade focus: Construction/electrical.

“Trades on Track is about more than education funding—it’s about creating opportunity,” said Kristin Wong, Director Norfolk Southern Foundation & Community Impact. “These students represent the next generation of skilled professionals who will keep rail operations safe, efficient, and innovative.”

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The votes are in: Shareholders of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, in Special Meetings held Nov. 14, approved the merger of the two railroads to form a U.S. transcontinental, with in-favor margins approaching 100%.

UP on Nov. 14 announced that 99.5% of votes cast were in favor of issuing new shares of UP common stock in connection with the NS merger. NS announced that its shareholders “voted overwhelmingly, with nearly 99% of the shares cast in favor,” to approve the transaction with UP. Under the terms of the agreement, NS shareholders will receive 1.0 UP common share and $88.82 in cash for each share of NS owned. The transaction, both companies said, is expected to close “by early 2027, subject to Surface Transportation Board review and approval within its statutory timeline and customary closing conditions.”

The preliminary vote count from UP’s special meeting of shareholders “represented nearly 80% of all outstanding shares,” UP noted. The final vote counts for both railroads will be reported in 8-K Forms filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, after certification by UP and NS independent inspectors of elections.

“We appreciate our shareholders’ support in reaching this important milestone on our path to building [the U.S.’s] first coast-to-coast railroad,” said UP CEO Jim Vena. “Our shareholders see the value and understand this merger will unlock new opportunities to enhance service, growth and innovation. We look forward to filing our application with the STB and detailing how the transaction will provide seamless, single-line service across the country to improve transit times, safely increase reliability and strengthen the competitiveness of U.S rail.”

The transaction is subject to STB review and approval within its statutory timeline as well as customary closing conditions.

“The approval of our shareholders marks a key milestone in our journey to create the [U.S.’s] first coast-to-coast transcontinental railroad, combining complementary networks and capabilities to unlock a multiplier effect for benefits to all stakeholders,” said Mark George, President and CEO of NS. “The merger will preserve union jobs and improve safety while delivering faster, more reliable transit times. Together with UP, we will make rail more competitive with highways, offering customers new, more attractive shipping alternatives, unleashing the industrial strength of American manufacturing and creating new sources of economic growth across the country.”

Vena and George will appear jointly at Railway Age’s Next Generation Freight Rail Conference on March 10, 2026, at the Union League Club of Chicago. Joining them in separate sessions will be Keith Creel (CPKC), Tracy Robinson (CN), Tom G. Williams (BNSF), and Maryclare Kenney (CSX). STB Chairman Patrick Fuchs and Vice Chairman Michelle Schultz will appear jointly. The conference closes with NS EVP and COO John Orr, Railway Age’s 2026 Railroader of the Year.

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Michael Baker International announced Nov. 13 that Reed will lead company-wide growth initiatives to drive innovation and expansion. Reed will work on identifying emerging markets, strengthening relationships with clients, and using data to pursue growth opportunities. Prior to his joining Michael Baker International, Reed served as Senior Vice President – U.S. Operations and Delivery Executive and Interim Transportation Business Line Executive at WSP USA where he led more than 5,000 team members. In this role, he worked to support operations, delivery procedures, staff management and project operations. Additionally, he served as Past President of the American Council of Engineering Companies San Diego Chapter. Reed holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Washington State University.

“As we focus on achieving our Vision 2030 goals, Michael Baker continues to strengthen its position as a trusted advisor – bringing together client insight with the scale and integrated capabilities of a national leader in engineering, technology and consulting,” said Brian A. Lutes, Chief Executive Officer at Michael Baker International. “Kevin will play a leading role in shaping our growth strategy, fostering innovation and ensuring we deliver transformative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients and communities. His leadership will help us unlock new opportunities and advance our mission as We Make a Difference through every project.”

Michael Baker International also announced that Chris Peters, P.E., S.E., will step into the role of Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Peters will work on operational excellence in four verticals, according to the firm. These four verticals are Infrastructure, Integrated Design and Advisory (IDA), Mitigation, Environmental, Resiliency, Response and Recovery (MER3), and GovTech. Peters will bring more than 30 years of architecture and engineering industry experience to “implement advanced processes and systems designed to optimize efficiency, enhance collaboration and position the firm for continued growth expansion.” Recently, Peters served as COO at WSP USA where he led more than 17,000 team members across six business lines, including program management, IT, and health safety, environment, and quality (HSEQ). Peters holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of MIssouri-Columbia and a Master of Science degree in Structural Engineering from Iowa State University.

“Chris brings exceptional leadership and a proven track record of operational success to Michael Baker International,” said Brian A. Lutes, Chief Executive Officer at Michael Baker International. “His deep industry expertise and strategic vision will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our operations, enhance collaboration across our verticals to work as One Michael Baker and deliver innovative solutions that drive growth for our clients and our firm.”

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After Metra introduced its 2026 budget in October, the Illinois Legislature approved reforms and significant new funding for public transportation in northeast Illinois. The legislation, the agency says, “was prompted by the pending exhaustion of federal COVID-relief funding that Metra and other transit agencies have been using to balance budgets since the COVID-19 pandemic.” Metra expects its COVID funding to run out in the fourth quarter of next year.

The new funding allowed Metra to revise its budget to eliminate a proposed fare increase and fund modest service increases while still covering an expected $27.9 million shortfall, the agency noted. The revised budget also eliminates a planned $60 million transfer from the operating budget to its capital plan.

The $1.2 billion budget (download budget book below) includes $55 million for costs related to a Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) construction project that expands capacity on the Metra Electric Line, which is being reimbursed by NICTD. Excluding that cost, the budget for operations is about $50 million higher than the 2025 budget. The increase, Metra says, “is due to expected inflationary, contractual, and market increases; modest service increases; successful filling of vacancies; and higher costs related to Union Pacific (UP) and BNSF service.”

The budget is funded by system-generated revenue of $305.1 million, including $187.9 million in fares, as well as $635.9 million in regional sales tax receipts, Metra’s remaining $206.1 million in federal COVID-relief funding, and $27.9 million in new funding.

The $515.3 capital program is funded by $426.7 million in federal formula funding and discretionary grants, $88.6 million in Illinois PAYGO funding, and $100,000 in an RTA Access to Transit grant. The program allocates $268.2 million to rolling stock; $68.5 million to bridges, tracks and structures; $59.1 million in signals, electrical and communications; $27.3 million in facilities and equipment; $59.9 million in stations and parking; and $32.3 million in support activities.

The budget will now go to the Chicago Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) for its final approval.

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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has finalized guidance (download below) for its Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program, described as “the largest federal discretionary grant program for transit capital investments, including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars and bus rapid transit.”

FTA said it will revert to a previously used methodology that relies on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) designation, based on the city in which a transit project is located. This approach eliminates social cost of carbon criteria calculations.

The update amends FTA’s CIG Policy Guidance published in December 2024 and includes feedback FTA received when it published its Proposed CIG Policy Guidance for public comment in August. Among 16 respondents providing comments were “transit agencies, interest groups, policy organizations and individuals,” FTA noted. The agency said it will use this guidance for the CIG program’s FY2026 Annual Report ratings, available on the FTA website. 

For more information, visit the CIG Regulations and Guidance webpage.

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Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) on Nov. 13 it has reached a new tentative five-year collective agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).

The tentative agreement, CPKC said, provides increased wages and more flexible work rules for approximately 300 locomotive engineers on the Soo Line property operating trains in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. CPKC previously announced a series of 13 tentative five-year collective agreements with various unions representing approximately 360 employees across the U.S. All the tentative agreements announced are pending ratification by the unions’ membership.

“We are very pleased to have reached this latest tentative collective agreement benefiting approximately 300 of our railroaders in the U.S.,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “Thank you to the leadership of the BLET. With this agreement and 13 others reached at the bargaining table with our unions across the United States in recent days, CPKC will continue to safely and efficiently deliver for our customers for years to come in support of American business and economic growth.”

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Retired Michigan State Center for Railway Research & Education Director Nick Little will once again serve as judge for the awards program, which was established in 2016 recognizing 10 individuals under 40. In 2021, the number of honorees was increased to 20, due to a growing number of entries and outstanding candidates. And in 2022, the number of honorees was again increased to 25.

“One of railroading’s most valuable assets is the vast amount of institutional knowledge held by its people,” says Little. “Each year, it is heartening to see how our awards program nominees are contributing to it. These diverse young leaders show breadth of knowledge, experience and achievement coupled with application, commitment and agility in their field of expertise, yet also are giving back to both the industry and society. I look forward to the challenge of choosing honorees for 2026.”

ELIGIBILITY:

• The nominee must be located in the United States, Canada and/or Mexico.
• The nominee must be under the age of 40 as of January 1, 2026.
• There is no limit on the number of entries each firm or person can submit, and there is no entry fee.
• Candidates may nominate themselves.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

• Industry experience and education.
• Leadership skills.
• Industry contributions.
• Community service involvement.

DEADLINE: Jan. 8, 2026, 5 p.m. EST.

PHOTOS: We will require honorees to submit a high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi or higher) headshot.

COMPLETE THIS FORM TO ENTER.

Entries are final. Please have your responses fully prepared before submitting.

Railway Age’s 2025 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2024 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2023 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2022 “Fast Trackers” 25 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2021 “Fast Trackers” 20 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2020 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2019 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2018 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees
Railway Age’s 2017 “Fast Trackers” 10 Under 40 Honorees

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“Today we’re pleased to announce a new development partnership between Brightline Trains and Sotereon.AI—bringing together cutting-edge LiDAR perception technology and next-generation AI to transform how rail infrastructure is monitored and maintained,” Tampa, Fla.-based Sotereon.AI reported via social media on Nov. 13.

The goal is to “enhance the inspection and maintenance process by creating a real-time digital replica of the Brightline corridor, one that is continuously updated throughout the operational day,” according to a joint announcement by the companies. Sensors will be mounted to two Brightline locomotives and Sotereon.AI will employ its Overwatch perception platform.

“Brightline’s commitment to innovation aligns seamlessly with our mission at Soterion.AI,” said Greg Moya, Chief Operating Officer of Soterion.AI. “By listening to our customers and applying transformative AI to rail infrastructure, we are jointly pioneering LiDAR perception analytics in a way that’s never been done before—establishing a new standard for intelligent corridor monitoring.”

“This technology has the potential to transform the way railroads monitor and inspect their corridors” added Michael Lefevre, Vice President of Operations at Brightline.

Sotereon Overwatch is described as “a cloud or on-premise software platform that combines LiDAR-based perception, AI-driven analytics and behavioral modeling to detect real-time movement of people and things.” It is said to allow for the “identification of suspicious behavior; crowd density monitoring; vehicular movements and patterns; and predictive analytics for threat prevention.”

Brightline covers 235 miles between Miami and Orlando (see map above). It launched the first phase of its South Florida operations in 2018, connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Stations in Boca Raton and Aventura opened in 2022. Construction of its 170-mile, $6 billion phase two extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando began in 2019 and service launched in September 2023.

Railway Age Contributing Editor David Peter Alan recently reported on Brightline’s finances and examined some of the challenges that now face the railroad company, which is cutting service between its South Florida stations and the Orlando airport and is seeing costs skyrocket for its project to build a high-speed railroad between Southern California and Las Vegas.

The $4 billion investment in Valley Metro light rail since 2008 is paying off, according to a FOX10 report. Transit agency executives at a recent Phoenix City council meeting “pointed to a $20 billion return on investment, attributing it to a massive wave of development that has reshaped the corridor across the three member cities: Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa,” the media outlet reported Nov. 12.

Light rail ridership has returned to pre-pandemic levels, “increasing 21% year over year to 45,000 daily weekday riders,” FOX10 said. In a survey, the “vast majority” of riders “reported feeling safe on the system, citing more visible security officers and cleaner stations,” it noted. “Unsafe situations on the light rail dropped by more than 50% over the last year.”

“I’ve seen downtown change leaps and bounds,” said Adrian Ruiz, Chief Safety and Security for Valley Metro, according to FOX10. “It was a ghost town down here 25 years ago after 5 o’clock, no one here. I even wondered, ‘Really? There’s going to be people who want to live here?’ Absolutely!”

Now, Valley Metro’s goal is expansion, the media outlet said. Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix are seeking community feedback on how transit will reach west Phoenix. The public is invited to provide input on route options for the Capitol Extension (CAPEX) light rail project and its connection to the I-10 West (10WEST) light rail extension project (see map below). These projects would extend light rail service from downtown Phoenix to the Arizona State Capitol area and ultimately to the Desert Sky Transit Center.

The Phoenix City Council is expected to act on both projects in January 2026. The Council will either adopt an updated CAPEX route as the first step to extend light rail to west Phoenix and connect the 10WEST Extension or re-evaluate high-capacity transit alternatives to serve west Phoenix, with or without the Capitol Extension.

Caltrain will receive $500,000 from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority to “help more San Mateo County colleges and employers offer GoPasses, making it easier and cheaper for people to take the train instead of driving,” SMCTA reported Nov. 12. GoPass is Caltrain’s deeply discounted, annual, unlimited-ride fare product for organizations; it offers unlimited travel across all zones, seven days a week for qualifying participants.

Caltrain’s GoPass program expansion is one of 17 projects that will share nearly $6.8 million in funding through the 2025 Cycle 3 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Call for Projects; the TDM Program is said to support projects that “help reduce traffic, improve air quality, and give people more choices for how they travel” and the funding comes from voter-approved Measure A and Measure W tax revenues, which help pay for transportation improvements in San Mateo County. The other projects include bus stop upgrades, vanpool and e-bike programs, traffic signal improvements, and crosswalk additions for school safety.

Separately, Caltrain recently outlined “significant service cuts and operational impacts,” including the potential elimination of weekend service and of half-hourly trains, “to reduce budget shortfalls” if the proposed regional transit funding measure fails in November 2026 and no new external funding is available.

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Railinc, MineHub says, serves as the “digital backbone” of the North American freight rail network, processing more than 300 million daily transactions related to rail movements, including waybills and car movements. It monitors more than 11 million railcar movement events each day across more than 600 rail carriers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. These events capture individual railcar location changes, which may occur multiple times per journey. “As the trusted hub for waybill data, Railinc provides the accuracy and reliability critical for seamless rail logistics connecting thousands of supply chain stakeholders.”

This integration, the company says, “marks a significant advancement in MineHub’s ongoing commitment to deliver innovative, data-driven solutions that optimize supply chain operations.” The partnership with Railinc offers several key benefits:

• “Direct access to comprehensive tracking updates from Railinc’s authoritative rail event network, reducing reliance on supplier-provided data and ensuring more accurate and reliable information.
• “A richer and more complete dataset, including waybill details, estimated interchange times, and trip-level insights, allowing customers to make better-informed decisions and optimize their supply chain operations.
• “Faster, more accurate tracking updates with lower latency and a reduced risk of duplicate or erroneous events, contributing to increased operational efficiency and potential cost reductions for MineHub’s customers.
• “Visibility across both inbound and outbound rail shipments through a single authorization process, streamlining the tracking experience and saving time for users.
• “A foundation for future feature development aimed at further streamlining operations and delivering measurable time and cost savings for MineHub customers, supporting the company’s position in the industry.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Railinc and offer our customers unparalleled visibility into their rail shipments,” said MineHub CEO Andrea Aranguren. “This integration is a testament to our commitment to providing the most comprehensive and reliable supply chain solutions for the commodity markets.”

By leveraging Railinc’s extensive data network, MineHub says it “continues to revolutionize the digital supply chain landscape, empowering customers with the insights and tools they need to optimize their operations and drive success in an increasingly competitive market.”

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“This budget builds upon the tremendous progress we’ve made over the past year, and sets us on a path towards continued growth,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “Getting to this point is the culmination of our commitment to delivering the kind of transformational public transit service that our region has never experienced before. I want to thank our dedicated workforce, our community of riders and transit advocates, and state and local elected officials for their support, and I look forward to working together as we chart a vibrant transit future in the years to come.”

Due to the funding uncertainty earlier this fall, CTA developed and proposed three funding scenarios:

• “Budget A: Baseline or simply filling the funding gap budget assumed typical state funding levels that solely address the existing structural funding gap.
• “Budget B: Growth budget that fixes the funding disparity and allows CTA to close its budget gap, plus make significant investments to deliver services being requested by riders.
• “Budget C: Reduced budget that has no additional funding to address the structural funding gap, resulting in a significant cut to service.

These scenarios, the agency says, were developed based on the potential funding CTA could receive pending the outcome of ongoing legislative efforts in Springfield last month. With the passage of SB2111, and with guidance from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), CTA passed the Budget A or the Baseline budget, which fills the current operating budget gap in 2026. “CTA is seeking an amended budget for all service boards in the region to recognize the additional funding from SB2111 and enable transit in the region to begin delivering now on the key investments riders have been seeking.”

According to the agency, “the budget passed includes measurable progress on key investments and reflects feedback CTA received from thousands of riders who took part in new agency outreach events including more than a dozen ‘CTA Chats’ pop-up events this summer, three Budget Town Hall meetings this fall, the 2026 budget hearing, plus multiple surveys.”

Among the projects and initiatives CTA riders can expect in 2026 with the current budget include:

• “Service Enhancements: Ongoing service adjustments to better align and connect bus and rail services to offer more one-seat rides and enhanced transit connections.
• “Strengthened Security: CTA will increase the amount budgeted for CPD to further increase police resources assigned to work on the system. CTA will also launch new Safe Ride Ambassador models to pilot that were created with input from law enforcement, other security experts, transit advocates, mental health and social service professionals, and community-based organizations. These response models will be designed to assist people on CTA in visible crisis with support services and de-escalate potentially troubling situations.
• “Enhanced Customer Experience: Refresh & Renew: The cyclical CTA facility improvement program will include some additional customer-friendly improvements such as landscaping, benches designed for children and more station art.
• “Enhanced Customer Experience: ChatBot Phase 2: Reporting non-emergency matters and accessing real-time information via the CTA Chatbot will be easier and more personalized through additional AI investments that will enable the Chatbot to more readily understand customer reports, requiring fewer follow-up questions. It would also collect more details about incidents to increase resolution rates and provide more details and information on service.
• “Enhanced Cleaning Measures: Building on the expansion of cleaning personnel added the last couple years, in 2026 CTA will be piloting the deployment of mid-line railcar cleaning to address cleanliness issues that occur after trains have been in service for several hours. This will complement an already robust cleaning regimen that includes daily cleanings of every vehicle and station, plus monthly deep cleans and power-washing.
• “Expanded Accessibility Initiatives and Outreach: To further expand initiatives that increase accessibility to transit and the experience of riders with disabilities, CTA will add a position to focus on this important work, including expansion of front-line employee training on accessibility and supporting disabled riders; strengthening existing partnerships and building new ones among disability community advocates.
• “Focus on ETOD and Transit Policy: To aid efforts in redefining CTA’s role in driving more large-scale, Equitable Transit Orientated Development (ETOD) around transit hubs, CTA will create two new positions focused solely on driving strategy for critical cross-agency transit policy strategies, initiatives, and community-based partnerships that promote and leverage transit to connect people to opportunities that improve their lives.”

With an amended budget recognizing the additional transit funding for the region, CTA says it plans to build on all these investments, plus it will also make immediate service enhancements, including additional 24/7 rail service and expanding the Frequent Bus Network.

Also approved by the Chicago Transit Board was the agency’s $6.75 billion five-year (2026-2030) Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which prioritizes projects that focus on improving safety, reliability, accessibility, equity and meeting regulatory requirements. This includes the following projects and initiatives:

• Red Line Extension: Start of work to extend the line from 95th to 130th Street.
• All Stations Accessibility Plan (ASAP): Design and construction for the next series of rail stations to enhance accessibility.
• Elevator and Escalator Replacements: Upgrading aged elevators and escalators throughout the system.
• Rail Heavy Maintenance Facility Renovations: Upgrades to enhance facilities where heavy repair and overhaul work is performed on CTA series railcars.
• New Vehicle Purchases: Acquisition of up to 446 new railcars as planned under options for the 7000-Series railcar contract. The purchase of over 200 new buses, electric or other zero emission buses.
• Fleet Overhauls: Overhauling approximately half of the existing rail fleet and over a quarter of the bus fleet.
• Replacement of Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Equipment: Replacing over-age heavy-duty vehicles and shop equipment used for transit operations support.

Part of the capital program will also include the creation of a new Blue Line Forest Park Modernization Program Office that will be tasked with working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) through the joint I-290 Eisenhower Expressway/Blue Line Corridor Development Office “to create a strategic vision and infrastructure plan for the 13-mile long corridor along I-290 expressway and the Forest Park Blue Line branch.” The goal, CTA says, is to advance planning efforts and have various aspects of this work shovel ready as funding opportunities become available.

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