Railway Age 2025 Readers’ Influential Leaders
Railway Age is pleased to present the sixth-annual “Readers’ Influential Leaders” program honorees.
news
‘Mardi Gras‘ Follows ‘Second Battle of Mobile’
Easter is over, but Mardi Gras is coming to New Orleans, Mobile, and four towns between them on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This “Mardi Gras” will be an Amtrak train, and it
Commentary
Pop-Up Metro: New Model for New Starts (UPDATED)
Third of a Series: Proposals for Princeton and Philadelphia. Henry Posner III is a man on a mission. He is actively promoting the concept of an inexpensive way to test a rail
Transit Briefs: SEPTA, LA Metro
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) continues to enhance safety and security efforts. Also, LA Metro announces that the LAX/Metro Transit Center Station will open to the public on June 6.
For FCA, 1,250 Railcars Ordered in 1Q25
FreightCar America (FCA) on April 24 reported receiving orders totaling 1,250 freight railcars, valued at approximately $141 million, during first-quarter 2025.
People News: BLET, Benesch
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) National President Eddie Hall will retire, effective May 1. Also, Benesch welcomes Paul Rathgeber, MPA, as Director of Public Projects in the company’s Railroad Division.
ARCI 1Q Freight Cars: Orders Up but Deliveries, Backlog Down
Overall freight railcar orders in first-quarter 2025 increased by 13%, but deliveries fell 22% from fourth-quarter 2024, according to the latest Railway Supply Institute (RSI) American Railway Car Institute Committee (ARCI) report. Backlog dipped 8% sequentially.
OLI Awards $219,155 in Rail Safety Awareness Grants to 11 States
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, on April 24 announced $219,155 in competitive rail safety awareness grants to OLI programs
CPKC Brings On Line Nine New Certified Sites
The first nine locations on Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) North American network have been certified as “Site Ready” as part of a new program that the railroad said “transforms underutilized land
Commentary
PSNY: Duffy Ditches Hochul, MTA for Amtrak
In the latest round of what appears to be a feud between Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy on one side and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York Metropolitan
Union Pacific 1Q25: ‘Solid Start to the Year’ (Updated With TD Cowen Insight)
Union Pacific’s first-quarter 2025 financial results indicate a “solid start” to the year. Though earnings per diluted share and operating income were flat, “reflecting a 7% headwind from fuel and leap year,”
Watch: CSO Finds a ‘Unique’ Solution to Move MSW by Rail
On Earth Day, April 22, 2025, Connecticut Southern Railroad (CSO) found a “cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly” way to move municipal solid waste (MSW) by rail, Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) announced in
People News: Rail Vision, HNTB, NYMTA
Israel-based technology company Rail Vision Ltd. appoints David BenDavid as CEO. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) veteran Rich Schaefer is rejoining infrastructure firm HNTB Corporation as Program Manager; and Thomas J. Taffe is tabbed for Chief of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department (MTAPD).
CSX Adds 18 Rail-Served Properties to ‘Select Site’ Program
CSX on April 23 announced its latest group of high-ranking properties to receive CSX Select Site designation under the industrial development program. Eighteen sites across 12 states have earned a Gold, Silver or Bronze rating based on an evaluation of a wide range of site characteristics.
Watch: No. 765 Returns to the Valley
Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 has returned to Independence, Ohio, for the Steam in the Valley event, to be held April 25-27 and May 2-4 by nonprofit host Cuyahoga Valley
NS 1Q25: ‘Improved OR, Earnings Growth, and Consistent Service’ (Updated with TD Cowen Commentary)
“The Thoroughbred team once again demonstrated tremendous resilience in the quarter, overcoming a disruptive winter storm season to deliver an improved operation ratio, earnings growth, and a consistent service experience for our customers,” Norfolk Southern (NS) President and CEO Mark George said during a first-quarter 2025 financial report.
Transit Briefs: MARTA, Metra
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) unveils a new online trip planner. Also, Metra schedules 40 safety blitzes in 2025.
GATX Continues to Experience ‘Solid Demand’ in 1Q25
“We continued to experience solid demand for our assets globally,” GATX President and CEO said Robert C. Lyons said during a report on first-quarter 2025 financials, which included Rail North America fleet utilization of 99.2% and a renewal success rate of 85.1%.
AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Up for Week 16
Total U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 19, 2025 (Week 16) was up 4.5% from the prior-year period, with gains in both carloads and intermodal volume, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) latest report.
Class I Briefs: CSX, CSX/NS/UP, NS, CPKC
CSX inspires students at its second-annual Innovation Day. Also, CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS), Union Pacific (UP) and The Greenbrier Companies rank on USA Today’s America’s Climate Leaders 2025 list; NS crews connect its main line to the future Scout Motors EV manufacturing plant in South Carolina; and Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) Hypermiler program helps locomotive engineers to use less fuel.