MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, MTA New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow, MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer, and other officials cut the ribbon on the new Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility in Sunset Park on Nov. 21. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Watch: NYMTA Launches Railcar Acceptance, Testing Facility

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Nov. 21 opened “on time and under budget” what it is calling a “first-of-its-kind” Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility.

CSX earlier this month participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for customer Saint Paul Commodities’ $2.33 million blending plant in Selma, N.C. (Screen Grab From CSX Video)

Class I Briefs: CSX, BNSF, NS, UP

CSX and BNSF celebrate the advancement of separate industrial-development projects in North Carolina and Arkansas, respectively. Also, Norfolk Southern (NS) supports Habitat for Humanity and Children’s of Alabama; and Union Pacific’s (UP) Roseville Terminal in California marks a safety milestone.

(Courtesy of Brightline West)

Brightline West Entering ‘Transaction Support Agreement’

Fortress Investment Group-backed Brightline West (a.k.a., DesertXpress Enterprises, LLC) on Nov. 20 reported entering into a “transaction support agreement that is expected to culminate in a private exchange by holders of a

“In 2021, the MTA was looking at a $2.5 billion annual deficit, but we have been able to get back on track thanks to the amazing support from Albany,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said Nov. 19 upon release of the agency’s final 2026 operating budget and four-year financial plan. “That support allowed us to stay afloat without cutting service, without any layoffs—and another major factor in this agency’s fiscal stability has been the cost savings that we’ve achieved in recent years.” (MTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, KC Streetcar, NCTD, WMATA, DART

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) releases its final 2026 operating budget and four-year financial plan. Also, KC Streetcar will soon reveal plans for the new northern terminus and CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) Pavilion; North County Transit–San Diego Railroad (NCTD) and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) move forward on transit-oriented development projects; and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board approves contracts to improve security and cleanliness systemwide.

(Courtesy of IANA)

IANA: Intermodal ‘Stays Ahead’ in 3Q25

“The North American intermodal market maintained a positive growth trajectory in the third quarter of 2025, despite increasing volatility and economic headwinds,” according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s (IANA) quarterly

(Courtesy of STB)

ASLRRA to Participate in STB Review of Proposed UP-NS Merger

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has filed a notice of intent to participate in the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) review of the forthcoming Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern application seeking

(Screen Grab From Fit Precast Video)

NCRR Injecting $500K Into Fit Precast’s Rail-Served Facility

North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) on Nov. 19 reported that it will invest up to $500,000 in a rail spur to serve Fit Precast’s new headquarters and concrete pipe production facility in Gaston County.

(Courtesy of ASLRRA)

Vaughn Earns 2026 Schlosser Distinguished Service Award

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has selected Gary Vaughn for the 2026 Schlosser Distinguished Service Award. He will be honored April 14, 2026, at the Association’s annual conference and

(Screen Grab From CSX Video)

AAR: Mixed Results for U.S. Rail Traffic

U.S. rail traffic was down slightly for the week ending Nov. 15 and experienced a modest gain through the first 46 weeks of 2025, vs. the same points last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Nov. 19.

At Lineage’s Prime Pointe groundbreaking, from left, Guy Brown, Economic Development Director, City of Hutchins, Texas; R.J. Burton, Vice President, Victory Unlimited Construction; Hutchins Mayor Mario Vasquez; Chris Britton, Vice President, Regional Sales, Lineage; Steve Chiambretti, Senior Project Manager, Ops. Strategy, Lineage; and Trent Vencil, Union Pacific Manager-Sales. (Courtesy of UP)

Lineage Holds Groundbreaking for UP-Served Texas Facility

Temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics company Lineage Inc. has broken ground on its 19th Texas-based facility. Slated to begin operations in late 2027, it will be part of the Prime Pointe Park, a

LOAD MORE