Commentary

Takeaways, MARS Summer Meeting

In general, 2024 was “a tough year” for the industry, but the situation “has shifted far more toward the positive and will continue to do so in 2025.” That’s the message CSX

Commentary

BLET Givebacks to NJT a “New Normal” for Labor?

Riders on New Jersey Transit’s rail lines had to do without their trains for four days in the middle of May, due to a strike by engineers represented by the Brotherhood of

Commentary

NS and CSX: We See More Than Smoke

We upgrade shares of Norfolk Southern and CSX to Buy as the likelihood of rail consolidation moves up considerably. A Union Pacific bid for NSC likely results in a BNSF bid for

Commentary

There’s Always an Excuse Not to Improve Service

This is obviously the topic of the day, with lots of different aspects to it. Given this is an operations and service report, here’s the past 75 years of industry service and

Commentary

Coast-to-Coast Rail M&A Implications

Class I merger talk comes back to center stage as the Wall Street Journal reports Union Pacific is in early discussions with Norfolk Southern. We hosted a call with Littlejohn & Co.

Recently recognized at Union Pacific’s 50-Year Honorees ceremony, Principal Consultant Rita Pfingsten has the distinction of being the railroad’s only Tech employee to achieve 50 years of service. (Caption and Photograph Courtesy of UP)
Commentary

Reflections of a 50-Year Tech Career: A Journey of Change

Change, change and more change. I’ve experienced huge technological and operational advancements during the course of my 50-plus year career in Tech.

Ian Jefferies, President and CEO, Association of American Railroads (Photograph Courtesy of the AAR)
Commentary

Unlocking the Next Era of Rail Innovation Requires a Modern Policy Framework

As Innovation Week comes to a close, few sectors better illustrate the quiet power of American ingenuity than freight rail—where century-old infrastructure is being reimagined with cutting-edge technology to move goods more safely, efficiently, and sustainably than ever before.

(William C. Vantuono Photograph)
Commentary

Rail Equipment Call: Decision Paralysis Continues

TD Cowen recently hosted a call with industry executives from the rail equipment market. From that, we heard order books are seeing no notable growth, attributable to tariff uncertainty, and used car

(Source: CPKC and Loop Capital)
Commentary

State of the Rails: Fourth of July Effect, Part 1

Given the Fourth of July effect in the most recent weekly data, we’ll give Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) a break from our weekly critique as it continues to try to restore fluidity after the May 3 U.S. IT cutover from
the old Kansas City Southern (KCS) Management Control System (MCS) to Canadian Pacific’s (CP) “TYES” system. Just kidding.

Commentary

Heartland Flyer Gets a Lifeline

Our friends at Texas Rail Advocates (led by our own Chair Emeritus Peter LeCody) reported July 10 that the North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council has come up with

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