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CSX recently announced that it has reduced cargo theft incidents by more than 80% year over year through “a targeted task force and operational changes focused on the Memphis rail corridor.”

The task force was formed in 2024 after CSX identified a sharp increase in cargo theft in the Memphis area during the COVID-era surge in criminal activity. The rise in theft, the Class I says, “posed a growing concern for customer shipments, employee safety and surrounding communities, prompting the company to take a more focused, localized approach.”

“Cargo theft is both a security issue and a policy issue,” said CSX Assistant General Counsel Drew Sutter. “On the ground, it requires tactical solutions. Over the long term, it requires sustainable policies that address the broader impact on communities, employees and customers.”

The Memphis effort brought together multiple groups, including local law enforcement and CSX operational teams, in what company leaders described as “a highly collaborative process.” The focus centered on activity near CSX’s Leewood Yard, where trains were particularly vulnerable when stopping for extended periods.

To reduce risk in high traffic areas, CSX upgraded security around its Memphis facilities “with enhanced fencing, lighting, and access controls, including roughly 14,000 feet of high security fencing and an additional 5,000 feet east of Leewood Yard.” The company also added 30 surveillance cameras to support real time monitoring and investigations, “strengthening security without disrupting operations.”

One of the task force’s key challenges was finding ways to keep trains moving through the area without unnecessary stops. To address that risk, CSX implemented two major operational changes. The company introduced two direct trains running from its Leewood Yard in Memphis to Fairburn, Ga., “reducing dwell time in high-risk areas.” CSX also coordinated arrival and departure windows to limit exposure when trains entered and exited facilities.

Those changes, the Class I says, “produced immediate results, contributing to the year-over-year reduction in cargo theft incidents,” according to Sean Douris, CSX Chief of Police, Public Safety, and Infrastructure Protection.

CSX leaders said the Memphis initiative has become “a blueprint for addressing similar issues elsewhere on the network.”

“As we see incidents like this start to develop into trends, we’ll be able to apply this template going forward,” Douris said. “The goal is to address these problems early, before they reach a larger scale.”

Cargo theft has been an ongoing concern across the transportation industry, with impacts extending beyond financial losses to include employee safety and community well-being, the Class I noted. CSX said its Memphis task force “demonstrates how coordinated operational and policy-driven approaches can deliver measurable results.”

NS has expanded the Thoroughbred Trading Post, a mobile application that “modernizes how surplus assets are documented, reviewed, and sold while helping teams maintain safer and more orderly yards and field locations.” The platform was designed and developed in-house, which, the Class I says, “sets it apart as a unique and innovative solution within the rail industry.” It supports equipment, machinery, tools, facility items, and other operational materials.

With a quick photo and brief description, NS employees can initiate a disposition request to remove, auction, recycle, or reassign items from anywhere.

Key benefits include:

• “Safety: Removing unused equipment reduces hazards, keeps yard areas clear, and supports safer daily operations.
• “Automation: Faster response times and consistent data make asset disposition more accessible and efficient.
• “Transparency: No more email chains or spreadsheets. All information lives in a single and easy-to-use app.
• “Stewardship: Responsible handling ensures assets are credited, managed, and routed appropriately, including direct-to-auction for high value items.
• “Revenue Generation: Larger assets route directly to auction partners, improving returns for NS.”

“We built the Thoroughbred Trading Post in-house because we wanted a solution that truly fits the way our teams work. It empowers employees, streamlines asset disposition, and helps us all work safer by removing what is no longer key to our operations or necessary. This is NS problem solving at its best,” said NS Senior Manager, Agile Business Solutions Jonathan Anthony.

This new solution reflects the culture of ingenuity across Norfolk Southern. It ensures every asset is handled responsibly and supports the safety, efficiency, and orderliness of our work environment. It shows how NS is leading with practical and innovative solutions in an area where many railroads face the same challenges,” said NS Sr. Category Specialist, Asset Disposition Paris Stroud.

“The app makes the asset disposition process go smoother and acts as a one‑stop shop instead of having to go through multiple steps. It also keeps me in the loop in real time on where an item is in the process, which is a tremendous value‑add,” said NS Sr. Supervisor Work Equipment – Engineering Teddy Lowry.

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

Ports of Indiana has appointed Joshua Webb as Director of Government Affairs to lead legislative strategy and advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels.

Webb brings more than a decade of experience in Indiana politics, public policy, and government operations. Most recently, he served as State Director for Americans for Prosperity-Indiana, where he led grassroots advocacy efforts, political operations, and government affairs. His career also includes service as Deputy State Director for United States Senator (now Governor) Mike Braun and work for former Congressman Luke Messer, where he held positions as both policy advisor in Washington, D.C., and District Director in Indiana.

“We’re pleased to have someone with Josh’s extensive experience lead our government affairs efforts at this critical time for the maritime industry,” said Jody Peacock, CEO of Ports of Indiana. “As we strive to expand our economic value to the state and advance critical infrastructure priorities, Josh’s leadership will be instrumental in building strong relationships and advancing new policy initiatives involving America’s Maritime Action Plan, shipbuilding, economic development, and global trade.” 

“I am excited to join the extraordinary team at Ports of Indiana and build upon the critical mission the organization serves for the people of Indiana. I look forward to helping advance key policies and developing strong partnerships that bolster Indiana’s world-class port system, generate sustained economic growth and enhance trade connectivity for Hoosiers,” said Webb.

A native of East Central Indiana, Webb earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Ball State University and completed a graduate certificate in Public Management from Indiana University Indianapolis. He currently resides in Noblesville with his wife, Natalie, and their two sons and daughter.

Congresswoman Nanette Barragán recently honored Otis Cliatt II, President of PHL, with the Black History Month Trailblazer of the Century Award “in recognition of his leadership and commitment to a more sustainable San Pedro Bay region.” The award was presented during the Congresswoman’s Annual Black History Month Commemoration, celebrating 100 years of Black History Month.

Under Cliatt’s leadership, PHL piloted the first zero-emission locomotive in the San Pedro Bay port complex, which is part of its commitment to lower emission technology. For almost three decades, PHL says it has “consistently demonstrated its focus on modernizing operations through cleaner, lower-emission solutions that strengthen sustainability and drive regional innovation.”

The recognition event took place on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library in Long Beach, where community leaders gathered to honor trailblazers making a lasting impact.

“Otis’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and environmental responsibility,” said Peter Gilbertson, CEO of Anacostia Rail Holdings, PHL’s parent company. “He is a key member of a team at PHL that has not only transformed rail operations within the port complex but has also delivered meaningful environmental benefits to Long Beach and Los Angeles.  We are incredibly proud of his commitment.”

This recognition, the company says, “underscores PHL’s continued dedication to building a more sustainable future while also strengthening the economic and environmental vitality of the San Pedro Bay region.”

Monica Deoras has been appointed, effective Feb. 9, as an attorney-advisor to Thomas Jayne, the Management Member of the U.S. RRB, an independent federal agency headquartered in Chicago. In this role, she will advise and counsel on a variety of financial, management, and legal issues affecting the RRB’s benefits and programs.

Prior to her appointment, Deoras was the Senior Counsel for Nuclear, Security & Environmental at the Bechtel Corporation for three years. In this capacity, she worked on business and project development involving nuclear plants in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Sweden, the United Kingdom, as well as the United States. She was also involved in key support activities for the Terrapower Natrium advanced-reactor project.

Before working for Bechtel, Deoras was Assistant General Counsel at True Commerce, a private equity firm specializing in cloud computing applications, for 11 months, and more than 12 years at Westinghouse Electric Company. At Westinghouse, she served in a Senior Counsel capacity for about nine years, working on various domestic and international projects dealing with nuclear energy. She then spent her last three years at the company as Assistant General Counsel, serving as lead attorney for global compliance issues.

Earlier in her legal career, she served as General Counsel for two information technology firms, worked as an associate at international law firm Reed Smith LLP, and served as a judicial clerk for two Pennsylvania state court judges.

Deoras earned a Master of Laws degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law and her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Her undergraduate degree was a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Texas. She has also served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and is currently a board member for the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel.

She replaces Erin Brandenburg, who left the RRB after almost two years to accept a position with the Judicial Conference of the United States.

The post People News: Ports of Indiana, PHL, RRB appeared first on Railway Age.

TETL on Feb. 25 announced that it has completed a 2,000-foot track expansion at its Big Spring, Texas, transload terminal, “increasing terminal capacity and strengthening its rail-served logistics infrastructure to support continued growth in energy and industrial commodity volumes.”

The expansion, TETL says, brings the terminal’s total rail footprint to more than 37,000 feet of track. The facility is served by UP and operates 24/7 with in-house switching and material handling capabilities. The additional track capacity increases throughput for pipe and oversized materials while maintaining flexibility to handle a diverse mix of commodities, the company noted.

“With this expansion, we are increasing our ability to efficiently manage higher car volumes, improve velocity through the terminal, and provide our customers with more reliable, scalable transload capacity,” said TETL President Andy Branaugh. “Big Spring is a strategic location for our network, and this investment positions the terminal to support long-term customer growth.”

The expanded infrastructure, TETL adds, “provides customers with greater flexibility for transloading, reducing congestion, and improving coordination across first- and last-mile logistics.” The project is part of TETL’s broader strategy to “invest in rail infrastructure, expand terminal capacity, and enhance service reliability across its network.”

UP’s partnership with Heartland Co-op reached recently reached a major milestone as the new grain shuttle facility in Millerton, Iowa, is now fully operational and handling its first train loads. This state-of-the-art site, the Class I says, “strengthens service for farmers in south central Iowa and expands access to key domestic and export markets across UP’s network.”

This achievement reflects close collaboration between Heartland Co‑op and UP teams across Operating, Marketing and Sales, Service Design, Network Economic and Industrial Development, Real Estate and Public Projects, the Class I noted. “The Millerton facility represents a shared, long‑term investment in Iowa agriculture and continued growth across the region’s grain market,” UP said.

“Heartland Co‑op’s investment alongside Union Pacific underscores our shared commitment to long‑term growth,” said UP Director, Marketing and Sales Emily Peters. “This new site strengthens our presence in the region and deepens our grain origination foundation.”

The NCRR announced Feb. 26 that it will invest up to $600,000 to build critical rail infrastructure for US Forged Rings Inc.’s new manufacturing facility in Hertford County. The company plans to invest $875 million for the three-phase project and create 625 full-time jobs with an average annual wage of $80,500.

The project, NCRR says, will connect the site to freight rail through a newly constructed spur designed for the company’s daily operations and long-term growth. US Forged Rings will focus on large-scale metal fabrication for the energy industry, producing steel piping and specialized components for industrial customers across the country.

“This investment is about more than track. We’re building opportunity in Hertford County, we’re strengthening North Carolina’s manufacturing footprint and we’re making sure this state is ready for long-term growth driven by freight rail,” said NCRR President and CEO Carl Warren.

The rail project will include ballast, ties and rail turnouts along with engineering, drainage, signal work and other improvements necessary to serve the site. Once operational, US Forged Rings will use the rail line to receive and distribute at least 1,825 rail cars each year.

Through NCRR Invests, the NCRR uses private revenue, not taxpayer dollars, to fund rail projects that attract new employers and expand existing industry to keep North Carolina competitive.

In addition to the Office of Governor Josh Stein, the NCRR supports this project along with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the North Carolina Departments of Transportation and Environmental Quality, CSX Transportation, Dominion Energy, Hertford County and its Board of Commissioners and the Hertford County Economic Development Department.

The post Industrial Development Briefs: TETL, UP/Heartland Co-op, NCRR appeared first on Railway Age.

by Justin Franz

No tool has changed railroad photography more since the advent of the telephoto lens than the drone. Sure, you could argue that digital cameras were a big deal, but they ultimately didn’t change the “look” of railroad photography as much as telephoto lenses did starting in the 1960s or drones in the 2010s. In both instances, entirely new compositions became available to photographers.

But now, the future of drone railroad photography in the U.S. is threatened by a government ban on the sale of new foreign-made drones.

DJI Drone Ban
The last time we talked about drones in Camera Bag was in July 2025. At that time, drone enthusiasts were still processing the impacts of the National Defense Authorization Act, a massive military spending bill that passed a few months earlier. Deep in the text was a provision that called for the federal government to conduct a security audit on drones produced by DJI, the Chinese-based manufacturer that dominates the consumer drone market. If the government didn’t conduct such an audit, DJI would be added to the Federal Communications Commission’s “Covered List,” which includes companies the government believes “pose an unacceptable risk to national security.” In layman’s terms, being added to the list means that DJI would no longer be able to release and sell new drones in the U.S. For its part, DJI said it welcomed the security audit and was confident that its products did not pose a threat to U.S. security or the privacy and security of its users. But unfortunately for DJI and U.S. drone users, that security audit never happened, and the FCC added DJI to the naughty list a few days before Christmas. But that wasn’t all; the FCC went a step further, announcing on December 22 that it was banning all foreign drone companies from selling new products in the U.S. Considering DJI controls 70 to 80 percent of the consumer drone market worldwide, for all intents and purposes, it’s still mostly just a DJI ban.

Previously, opponents of DJI have alleged that the company’s drones pose a threat to Americans due to data collection. But this time around, the argument against it was more about physical threats. In its public notice announcing the ban, the FCC said that foreign-made drones posed a threat to U.S. safety and security for several reasons, including the possibility that they could be used by cartels to smuggle drugs across the border (although there was no mention that a U.S.-made drone could also do that, or by one of the tens of thousands of automobiles that cross the border every day; but I digress). The FCC also argued that foreign-made drones could pose a threat to large gatherings, like sporting events or parades (although, again, so could the aforementioned U.S.-made drone or automobile).

You really didn’t have to read much between the lines of the press releases to find the real reason why the government was doing this — it’s trying to put the thumb on the scale on the side of the U.S.’s still-minuscule drone industry. Citing an executive order from the middle of last year, the FCC noted that “ensuring a strong and resilient drone industrial base is an economic and national security priority.”

As with everything in American life these days, there’s a political angle — although in this rare instance, it appears both parties are aligned in their dislike of DJI. After all, it was President Joe Biden who signed the 2024 defense act into law, and it was President Donald Trump’s FCC that sealed the deal and banned new products from DJI.

What Does It Mean?
So what about the American drone industry? Unfortunately, at this time, it’s predominantly focused on commercial users, meaning the drones that are made in the States can cost tens of thousands of dollars, usually out of the price range of even the most serious railroad photographer. The consumer-grade ones, those priced around $1,000 or less, simply don’t compare in quality to what DJI is putting out. And the few companies that were focusing on building consumer drones in the U.S.? Sadly, some of them have gone out of business. Perhaps the government’s handicapping of DJI in the U.S. will lead to more American-made options in the years ahead, but I don’t think that will happen before your next railfan outing.

So What Does This Mean for Me?
If you’re like me and you use a DJI drone (I’m flying an Air 2S), what does this mean? For now, we’re okay. Government agents aren’t about to kick down your door and take your camera. From what I’ve read, the FCC ban only affects new products, not those already certified to fly in the U.S. That means you should also still be able to do software updates as needed. It also means that you can still buy a new drone — at least for now. A quick look at B&H Photo’s website shows that models like the Air 3S or the Mini 4 Pro were in stock, although some bundles (which include an advanced controller and extra batteries) were backordered. One issue was that U.S. Customs had been holding some shipments of DJI drones, alleging that the company was violating the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Passed in 2021, that law prohibits the import of goods from the Xinjiang region of China, where forced labor among ethnic minorities has been reported. For its part, DJI says none of its products are made in that region.

As time goes on, it seems likely that buying new DJI drones will get harder and harder, and most of the newest models will not be available in the U.S. Of course, what drones are out there now are impressive and, in my opinion, pack more than enough technology needed to be useful for years to come (my rule of thumb is if I can take a photo and it’s good enough for a centerspread in print, then it’s good enough for me). But it’s unclear how much effort DJI will put into making new versions of “old” drones that have already gotten the green light from the federal government. In many ways, the advice I gave back in the July 2025 issue remains as relevant as ever — be extra careful and try not to send that drone into the trees.

Union Opposition
There’s one more bit of drone-related news that flying railfans should be made aware of. One of the nation’s largest railroad unions is calling for drones to be grounded at rail yards and along main lines. Last fall, the National Safety and Legislative Department of SMART-TD sent a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration “demanding a full prohibition on the use of drones by railroad managers, or anyone else, in active rail yards and along main lines where trains are moving.” The filing came as an increasing number of railroads are using drones to inspect infrastructure, but to also stealthily keep an eye on crews.

“Our rail yards are not laboratories or surveillance zones. They’re our offices,” said Jared Cassity, SMART-TD National Safety and Legislative Director. “When a drone flies overhead, it’s not just a nuisance; it’s a distraction in one of the most dangerous work environments in America. And make no mistake; if something goes wrong, it won’t be the manager behind the joystick who gets hurt. It’ll be one of our members. There is nothing cute, cool, or futuristic about any of that.”

It’s unclear whether the FAA will act on the union’s request, and it’s also uncertain how feasible it is to ban drones near rail lines. Most commercially available drones require FAA approval to operate in restricted areas near airports, so the system could potentially be expanded to include rail lines. However, given the extensive size of the rail network, expanding such a system would be a monumental task. There’s also the question of how far from the right-of-way these restrictions would apply.

The only sure thing is this: If you do enjoy railfanning with a drone, go out and get those unique views while you can!

The post Camera Bag: Drone Bans? appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.