Railroad Shipping

Late last week, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, said it plans to hold public hearings later this month—on April 26-27—regarding recent rail service problems and recovery efforts relating to various Class I railroad carriers.

Rail carloads—at 1,169,546—increased 1.2%, or 13,456 carloads—annually, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 1,338,138 units—saw a 6.4%, or 92,170 units—annual decrease.

Rail carloads—at 233,555—eked out a 0.5% annual gain, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 271,262—fell 6.2% annually.

Rail carloads—at 232,770—saw a 1.1% annual gain, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 266,592—decreased 5.7% annually.

Soon after a labor stoppage involving Calgary-based Class I railroad Canada Pacific Railway Limited (CP) and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) commenced on March 20, the sides earlier today appear to have reached a level of détente, with CP saying it has reached an agreement with the TCRC—Train and Engine Negotiating Committee to enter into binding arbitration.

A labor standstill, with repercussions for the North American supply chain is underway in Canada, starting Sunday morning, as Calgary-based Class I railroad Canada Pacific Railway Limited (CP) and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) have not made significant headway to settle their differences. The TCRC has 16,000 Canadian-members in rail transportation and represents approximately 3,000 locomotive engineers, conductors, train and yard workers across Canada.

Rail carloads—at 232,338—eked out a 0.9% annual gain, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 263,746—saw a 9.1% annual decline.

Rail carloads—at 238,870—headed up 2.8% annually, and intermodal units—at 266,307—decreased 5.8% annually.

While Canadian Pacific Railway’s (CP) acquisition of Kansas City Southern (KCS) is not expected to be made official until the second half of this year, CP said this week that the companies are collaborating on an interline basis, having rolled out what it said is the first dedicated intermodal train. This train runs between Lázaro Cárdenas and the U.S. Midwest. CP officials said that the impetus for this train was driven by the need to avoid...

U.S. rail carloads—at 915,329—increased 11%, or 90,525 carloads, compared to February 2021, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 1,945,646—saw a 5.7%, or 194,819 units, annual increase.

Rail carloads—at 237,256—headed up 38.2% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 260,566—rose 26.3% annually.

With the February 14 filing date for the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) proposed reciprocal switching regulations earlier this week, various freight railroad stakeholders made their cases for and against the case for it in comments filed to the STB. A public hearing hosted by the STB on these regulations is scheduled for March 15 and 16 at the STB’s Washington, D.C.-based headquarters.

Rail carloads—at 902,265—were off 3%, or 27,861 carloads, annually. And intermodal containers and trailers—at 1,001,443—dropped 14.6%, or 171,796 units.

Rail carloads—at 223,395—were off 3.3% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers——at 254,607—saw a 14.8% annual decrease.

Rail carloads—at 233,647—saw a 0.5% annual increase, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 259,970—were off 12.2%.