Rail News

DRAFT

Public Rail Now Statement on Proposed Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific Merger


Re-Regulation or Renationalization

Public Rail Now has a multitude of concerns with the proposed merger of two gigantic rail corporations. Our position is currently one of hesitation and cynicism that this is a merger to benefit the public and is more about mass congealing of private capital consolidating power to benefit a few. The proposal will not only put rail workers in the crosshairs of shareholder profits, but also risk the safety of trackside communities in the name of

cost-cutting. It will exploit shippers and downgrade the already sad service the freight rail industry is touting they provide.

 

While we think there is a benefit to having an efficient coast to coast freight rail network, we are not optimistic this merger bodes well for anyone but the shareholders. This is a public interest crisis: this is about control of essential infrastructure, not just about corporate mergers. This merger opens the opportunity to discuss:

     Re-regulation Trying to patch the broken system of private ownership with stricter rate controls, service obligations, labor protections, and safety rules — but still leaving railroads in the hands of Wall Street.

      Renationalization (Public Ownership) Taking the rail network back into democratic, public control so that decisions about service, safety, and labor are made for the public good, not quarterly earnings.


The Monopoly Problem:

The U.S. rail system has been reduced to a regionally fragmented duopoly, where chronic short staffing and safety compromises put workers and communities at risk, service for small shippers is unreliable, trains are excessively long, and consumers ultimately pay the price. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 deregulated most of the freight rail industry, allowing railroads to set rates and abandon service with minimal government oversight. Before Staggers, there were 40 Class I freight railroads; today there are only six.

For over a decade, rail carriers have embraced “Precision Scheduled Railroading” (PSR) — corporate shorthand for running fewer, longer trains with fewer workers to lower the operating ratio and boost profits. Since PSR’s rise in 2012, the rail workforce has been slashed by 17%, less-profitable lines and service stops have been cut, and communities have lost access to essential freight service. Profits have soared — but instead of investing in infrastructure upgrades, expanding service, or transitioning to cleaner Tier 4 or electrified yard locomotives in marginalized communities, the Class I railroads have funneled cash to shareholders. From 2010 to 2020, they spent $196 billion on stock buybacks, ignoring a 2007


DRAFTAssociation of American Railroads study calling for $135 billion in capacity expansion to meet 2035 demand.

Now, in a repeat of this pattern, rail executives are eyeing an $85 billion Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific merger — even as the recent Canadian Pacific–Kansas City Southern merger cost $31 billion. The consequences are predictable: more job cuts, more de-skilling, more service cuts, and more unsafe cost-cutting, all while shareholder profits soar. This merger is not about building a stronger national rail network it’s about

concentrating private wealth and power. Which brings us to the real question for the public:

Will we keep trying to patch this broken private monopoly system with limited

re-regulation, or will we finally reclaim our railroads under public ownership, where service, safety, and jobs come before shareholder dividends?

 

Impacts on Railroad Workers:

The consolidation of 40 Class 1s into 6 regional monopolies have left the rail working labor force in shambles. In 1975 the rail industry employed about 500,000 workers. The deregulation of the industry after the Staggers Act was passed led to substantial reduction in the rail workforce. By the early 2000s, the rail industry employed 250,000. Currently the Bureau of Labor Statistics (if it can be considered reliable anymore) reports less than 153,000 for May 2025.

 

With this merger, we would expect the jobs cuts and de-skilling to continue in the face of crew reductions, automation, and contract labor outsourcing. All the above undermines safety, because experienced judgment is replaced with automated or scripted processes creating safety issues for the remaining workers and ultimately impacting trackside communities. The loss of railroaders equates to a reduction in union membership thus weakening collective bargaining power.

 

Impacts on Service:

Past mergers have set the precedent for the current expectations.

Mergers, consolidation, and deregulation over the past 45 years have shrunk the U.S. freight rail network from 240,000 miles of track to just 140,000, concentrating service on the most profitable routes while abandoning rural and small-town communities. For shippers, fewer rail options means diminished bargaining power and higher rates — costs that ripple through the economy to farmers, manufacturers, and consumers in the form of higher prices. As rail competition disappears, price gouging becomes easier, service quality declines, and delivery times grow less reliable.

 

At the same time, freight monopolies have used consolidation to justify deferred maintenance and unsafe cost-cutting. They run longer, heavier trains on aging infrastructure while slashing inspections, crews, and safety protocols putting workers, communities, and the environment at greater risk. For passengers, the picture is equally grim: freight carriers routinely delay Amtrak and commuter trains, refuse to prioritize passenger service, and in some cases have eliminated access entirely. A merged Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific would deepen these harms, reducing competitive pressure to keep


DRAFTprices fair, operations safe, and schedules reliable — while maximizing profits for shareholders at the public’s expense.

 

Impacts on Shippers and Consumers:

Rail is the most efficient and cost-effective way to move freight. Shipping accounts for 10–40% of the cost of many commodities, and moving goods by rail is 3–5 times cheaper per ton-mile than by truck. Yet mergers, consolidation, and deregulation have gutted the

network — reduced mileage of track, eliminated deliveries and stops, congested mainlines, and slashed the workforce. These changes have forced more shippers to turn to long-haul trucking just to ensure timely delivery. In agriculture alone, rail’s share of freight has fallen 27% since 2000, with trucks absorbing nearly all the growth in the sector. The result: higher shipping costs that are passed directly to consumers.

Exorbitant freight rates impact us all. Studies show that increased rail service and frequency could save U.S. shippers and therefore consumers up to $100 billion annually. But today’s deregulated rail monopolies choose monopoly pricing and cost-cutting over public benefit, operating like 21st-century robber barons to pad the pockets of shareholders at the expense of workers, communities, and the economy.

 

Broken Regulatory System

The Staggers Rail Act was built on a false premise: that market competition would discipline rates and service without strong federal oversight. While it left a skeletal framework to guard against monopoly abuse, those safeguards have been gutted in practice. Decades of mergers have eliminated competition, leaving most shippers “captive” to a single carrier. These shippers have almost no practical recourse the burden of proof lies entirely on them to challenge excessive rates, a process that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, takes years, and only applies to that one case. Even a “win” changes nothing for other shippers facing the same price gouging, driving more freight onto highways.

The Surface Transportation Board already short-staffed, with two of its five seats vacant — operates as a revolving door, with over a third of its former regulators and staff going on to work for the railroads they once oversaw. Board majorities have repeatedly sided with industry, and enforcement is reactive and weak. Safety oversight fares no better: the Federal Railroad Administration often lags far behind emerging hazards, relies on carriers to

self-report, and imposes fines so minimal they are treated as just another cost of doing business. This is not a regulatory system capable of protecting workers, shippers, or the public interest in the face of an $85 billion mega-merger.

 

This merger exposes the core flaw in the current system: we are trying to regulate 21st-century monopolies with a hollowed-out, 1980s-era framework that assumes

competition exists. When competition is gone, when regulators are captured, and when safety and service are sacrificed for stock buybacks, the public is left with two choices.


DRAFTWe could try Re-Regulation rebuilding real oversight with enforceable service obligations, rate controls, labor protections, and meaningful safety enforcement. Or we can pursue Renationalization — bringing the rail network back under democratic, public ownership so that decisions about service, infrastructure, and jobs are made for the public good, not for quarterly earnings. This merger makes one thing clear: doing nothing is not an option.

 

 

 

This Merger Demands Structural Change

The problem isn’t just this deal it’s a system that allows a handful of private corporations to control critical national infrastructure, while shareholders and hedge fund managers fill their stock portfolios and bank accounts.

Current laws and regulations are incapable of protecting workers, shippers, passengers, or the public interest because they were enacted for a competitive market that no longer exists. After decades of mergers, the few remaining rail monopolies face no real competition. The STB and the FRA are both toothless and impotent to enact any beneficial change to a multi-billion dollar industry that is literally the foundation of the US economy. In this environment, consolidation doesn’t just slip through the cracks it flourishes. If regulators could not or would not stop the $31 billion Canadian Pacific–Kansas City Southern merger from further concentrating market power, there is little reason to believe they will protect the public from the far larger $85 billion Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific deal. Without structural change, this merger will simply accelerate the cycle of fewer jobs, worse service, higher rates, deferred maintenance, and greater risks for trackside communities while delivering nothing but bigger payouts to shareholders.

This merger is a wake-up call: patching the current system with stricter rules will not solve the structural problem a handful of private monopolies controlling essential infrastructure for profit. The real solution is public ownership, where the rail network is run for the public good, not quarterly earnings. A nationalized, democratically accountable rail system could restore service, protect workers, lower costs for shippers, and prioritize safety and climate goals. The choice is clear: keep trying to rein in the robber barons, or take the rails back.

 

In Summary

Railroads are not just businesses they are the arteries of the national economy. We cannot afford to let them be further monopolized, gutted for profit, and shielded from accountability by a captured regulator.

 

The Norfolk Southern–Union Pacific merger is not just another corporate deal it is a direct threat to workers, communities, and the economy. It is the latest chapter in a decades-long story of deregulation, monopoly consolidation, and public harm. We can no longer pretend that this broken system can be fixed with minor tweaks. The time has come for a structural change that puts rail back in the hands of the people it serves. Public ownership of our rail


DRAFTnetwork is the only way to guarantee safe, reliable, and affordable freight and passenger service, protect good union jobs, and prioritize climate and community needs over shareholder greed. We can keep fighting the same battles against the same monopolies, or we can take the rails back and run them for the public good. The choice is ours and the time is now.

 

 

Contact information: Tabitha Tripp info@publicrailnow.org publicrailnow.org

Editor's Note: Amtrak was born to save what private railroads abandoned.. and half a century later, it’s still begging for the tools to do the job. The nation wants trains, but Washington funds them like a hobby. Executives promise ridership miracles while passengers ride 40-year-old coaches held together by resolve and duct tape. Doubling demand without doubling investment isn’t ambition, it’s arithmetic fraud. The railroad to the future can’t be built on yesterday’s scraps.

Amtrak Knows What Passengers Want But Can’t Deliver Due To One Major Flaw

Karla Demery / October 1


For over fifty years, Amtrak has been the main provider of train travel in the United States. When it was established in 1971, the company aimed to keep things going after private railroads permanently halted passenger service. Today, Amtrak connects over 30 million customers to over 500 destinations in 46 states. The company even has a goal of doubling its ridership to 66 million by 2040.


The problem is that Amtrak doesn't have the equipment to keep up. According to the company's FY 2026 Grant Request, meeting demand along the NEC would mean doubling seating capacity. And while the newest Acela trainsets increase capacity by 75%, most riders along the NEC actually take the slower, more affordable Northeast Regional trains.

Editor's Note: The non-profit Go Rail is a front for the rail industry. We desperately need investment in freight rail, for sure. But to invest in Class One physical plant infrastructure is corporate welfare, pure and simple. The freight railroads have generated hundreds of billions in profits in recent decades, yet little is invested in much of what is listed here in terms of what is needed. Oh, and notice that the GoRail industry apologists slip in "rejection of economic re-regulation that could stifle private rail investment," as if to say that the Class Ones would be investing heavily in the railroad ... as long as the government stays out of their business and lets them regulate themselves. What a joke.

Local, state leaders call on Congress to support federal investment in freight rail

Progressive Railroading


Hundreds of local, state and national leaders from 48 states and the District of Columbia are urging Congress to prioritize investment in freight rail in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.


In a group letter coordinated by national nonprofit GoRail, the leaders asked House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee members to consider the role freight-rail systems have in the U.S. economy as federal lawmakers prepare legislation to reauthorize federal spending on surface transportation programs. The existing law, the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act of 201, expires on Sept. 30, 2026. The group letter was signed by state legislators, mayors, county commissioners, business leaders, economic development officials and former U.S. transportation secretaries of transportation.

Editor's Note: Seven straight months of decline tell the story: rail’s share of North American trade is slipping even as total freight holds steadier. Behind the numbers are shippers shifting lanes, supply chains rerouting, and a network unable.. or unwilling, to compete for its own future.

BTS: North American transborder freight-by-rail plummeted in July

Bureau of Transportation Statistics


Transborder freight moved by rail between the United States, Canada and Mexico in July fell 10.1% to $14.4 billion in value compared to July 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics announced yesterday. 


The value of total transborder freight moved in July between the three North American countries declined 1.1% to $132.6 billion of freight moved by all modes of transportation. July 2025 is the bureau's latest month of transborder freight data. The value of freight moved by rail between the United States and Canada in July totaled $6.5 billion, while the value of freight moved by rail between the United States and Mexico totaled $7.9 billion.


July is the seventh consecutive month in 2025 that the value of North American transborder freight moved by rail between the three nations has declined. 

Editor's Note: Joe Hinrichs did something rare in today’s industry.. he walked the yards, spoke to crews, and earned a measure of trust from the people who keep CSX running. That counted for little once Ancora, an activist fund with a taste for mergers and boardroom blood sport, demanded change. The directors complied, trading a leader who listened for one groomed in the gas trade, prized for his deal-making pedigree rather than his bond with the rank-and-file. Workers lose a voice they could reach, replaced by a figure meant to please markets and prime the railroad for consolidation. Once again, the men and women on the ballast are reminded that Wall Street’s hand on the throttle pulls harder than theirs ever will.

Hinrichs out as CSX CEO

Stuart Chirls / September 29


CSX Corp. today announced that its Board of Directors has named Steve Angel as president and chief executive, effective Sept. 28.


Angel, former CEO of gas and engineering giant Linde who had served as chairman of that company since 2022, succeeds Joe Hinrichs, who had been president, CEO, and board member.


Angel was also appointed to the CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) board.

The move comes as a surprise, as Hinrichs on Friday had hosted a high-profile media event to mark the re-opening of the Howard Street tunnel, a linchpin in the railroad’s plans to expand intermodal traffic into the Port of Baltimore.

Editor's Note: With every passing year, more and more environmental activists are coming to discover the inherent efficiencies of rail transportation. Rail has numerous environmental advantages over all other modes of transport. Much of the world has begun to figure this out. It's time for North America to forge ahead with a rail renaissance - both freight and passenger. Rail workers and the unions must seek out alliances and work with these people to make it happen!

Make trains great again: For the sake of people and the planet

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Nature / September 16th


What if there were a technology that could help to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, air pollution and environmental degradation, while improving health, reducing social inequality and boosting economic growth? There is, and this month it turns 200. The opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northeast England on 27 September 1825 is generally considered to be the birth of the modern railway — an event that set in motion a revolution in human mobility and social organization.


Initially, the railways enjoyed breakneck expansion, but since the mid-twentieth century, railway development in most countries has hit the buffers, and been overtaken by growth in road and air travel. A study by the Paris-based International Transport Forum (ITF) of 51 mainly high- income countries found that rail’s share of freight transport had fallen from 38% in 1980 to 24% in 2017 (see go.nature.com/3vpckhd). In the European Union in 2022, just 8.4% of passenger kilometres were travelled by rail, compared with 9% by air and 73% by car.

Editor's Note: Automation is the new gospel of the rail barons: fewer workers, longer trains, bigger dividends. They dress it in the language of innovation, but underneath it is the same old hunger to wring more from labor and give back less. A machine cannot strike, cannot bargain, cannot demand a fair share. Strip the human out of the cab and the carrier owns every lever, every second, every life. If this future is left to them, it will be built on the wreckage of both safety and solidarity.

Labor and industry clash over rail automation

Rail-tank-cars-credit-JAFW image

Freight Waves / September 10th


Labor and industry are giving the Trump administration opposing takes on how technology and automation in freight railroading should be considered as a long-term economic strategy.


In comments filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s request for comments to help the department update its five-year strategic plan extending to 2030, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) said the rail industry is at a point of critical mass.


“Under the guise of new and improved efficiencies, Class I railroads have hollowed out their workforce and pushed unsafe practices, including the operation of ever longer and heavier trains that infrastructure cannot safely accommodate,” wrote SMART-TD Legislative Director Jared Cassity. “These practices directly threaten the resilience of the rail network and, by extension, the nation’s supply chain.”

Editor's Note: The group known as WE OWN IT has taken a position to completely re-nationalize the rail system in the UK, not too different from what had been known as British Rail up until it was dismembered and privatized three decades ago. North American rail workers might learn a lot from this struggle.

Bring our railway into public ownership

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We Own It


You don't get a choice about which train you take. As you're waiting on the railway platform, there's only one route and you can't choose which train company to use. So the idea that you're a 'customer' really doesn't help you as your fares increase, carriages get more crowded and the train companies rake in the profits at your expense.


Our railway was privatized from 1994-1997, following the passing of The Railways Bill in 1993. Margaret Thatcher herself didn’t want to privatise British Rail, but her successor John Major decided to go ahead.


On 18th July 2024, the Labour government tabled the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill to bring all of Britain's railway lines into public ownership when their current private contracts expire. The bill does not include ownership of rolling stock.

Editor's Note: The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway is one of the biggest regional railroads in the U.S. Our main concern with this corporate takeover is how the new company will relate to the union. BLET #292 has waged one of the more gallant fights in recent years, staving off management's endless attempts to run trains with a single person crew. The members have been steadfast in their opposition to management's attempts, and they deserve the full support of all rail labor. RWU will keep our ear to the rail and stand ready to aid in any way we can should the new owners make any attempt to implement single person train operations.

Infrastructure fund pays $1B to acquire largest US regional railroad

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Freight Waves / August 6th


The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway — at 840 miles the largest independent regional railroad in the U.S. — is being acquired by FTAI Infrastructure in a billion-dollar deal, the companies announced today.



Text Box:  Railroad Workers United

Solidarity • Unity • Democracy

"The Rank & File in Action!"

raifroodworkersunited.org              (202)798-3327            info@railroadworkersunited.org


Text Box: Co-Chairs
Cory Aaron, GM WED 4745
EINSF. Si Lows. MO
Susan Wallenberg, SMART-TO 01433 CP Ctscago
Oenerallitcretsla
Nick Wurst. SMART-TO 41473 CSX Framingham MA
Recording Secretary 
Cameron Slick. SMART-TO *1614 UP Mrnneapoirs MN
Treasurer
Hugh Sawyer. BLET lil3t 6
NS. Atlanta. GA
Oraanizer
Matt Weaver, BM WED #2674 CSX Tc.'etlo. C1
international Steering Committee 
Chuck Abbate, SMART-TO ir8981) koolis Boston M.:
Cory Amon, BM WED 0745
&NSF St. Lows. MO
Gabe Christenson, SMART-To =1043 UP Sparks. NV
Ross Grooters. BLET $778
UP Des Manes IA
DerekMasters. SMART. TO ar.793 CSX. Buffalo. NY
Hugh Sawyer, BLET I:316
NS. Atlanta. GA
Cameron Slick. SMART-rO $1 614 UP Minneapolis A",
Stuart Wallenberg, SMART-TO a1433 CP. Chicago. IL
Mott Weaver, Sal WED o2624 CSX. TOleck). On
Nick WUrst. SMART-TD :147 CSX.Franungham. MA
RWU Resolution Against Further Class One Rail Mergers

Whereas, railroad mergers of Class One railroads in recent decades have reduced the number of Class One rail carriers from more than 40 in 1980 to just six today: and

Whereas, these mergers have more often than not been fraught with inefficiencies, confusion, service disruptions, clogged terminals, staffing shortages, exhausted workers, and general malaise; and

Whereas, the Union Pacific absorption of the Southern Pacific 30 years ago resulted in a total meltdown of the combined railroads, taking months if not years to recover from; and

Whereas, the carve-up of Conrail in 1999 resulted in a massive system-wide service failure when Norfolk Southern was completely unable to absorb its portion of Conrail as planned, losing every car in the computer system and decimating the railroad on Day One, June 1, 1999; and

Whereas, the merger of the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific in 1971 to form the Burlington Northem effectively doomed competitor Milwaukee Road - the most modern and well-engineered mainline in the Pacific Northwest - which was bankrupted, destroyed and abandoned within a decade of the BN merger: and

Whereas, the merger of the C&O, B&O and Western Maryland in the 1970s effectively spelled the end of the Western Maryland mainline, shortly thereafter abandoned across the Allegheny Mountains, similar to the Milwaukee Road's mainline, the more modern and better engineered line across the mountains; and

Whereas, the Union Pacific takeover of the Southern Pacific meant that the newly structured UP now had gained control of the former Western Pacific and Rio Grande as well, giving the railroad a virtual monopoly across the mid-section of the country west of the Missouri River, resulting in greatly reduced traffic on these formerly busy mainlines through Colorado. Utah and Nevada; and

Whereas, the most recent merger of the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern - a far simpler merger than a UP-NS merger would be - has resulted in numerous service disruptions and inefficiencies throughout that system since the merger was consummated earlier this year; and


1


Whereas, the largest rail union, SMART-TD, has issued a statement which says in part: "Publicly available data from recent years reveals UP leads the industry in accidents, incidents, injuries, and fatalities. This trend reflects a broader corporate culture that, in our view, prioritizes aggressive operating ratios over worker and public safety;" and

Whereas, other unions including the TWU, IAM Rail Division, and BRS have also voiced similar concerns about the proposed merger, with TWU stating, "Union Pacific has a shameful safety record and was caught by the federal government trying to meddle in a safety audit. There is no world where Union Pacific should be controlling a coast-to-coast rail network. A supersized Union Pacific would be catastrophic for TWU rail workers, shippers, and the safety of millions of Americans who live and work near freight rail lines ... Union Pacific cut railroad jobs even as other freight railroads ramped up hiring after the pandemic. They are not to be trusted by railroad workers nationwide..."

Whereas, major rail shipper groups, including the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL), the American Chemistry Council, and the Freight Rail Customer Alliance have all expressed concern about the proposed UP-NS merger, with NITL stating, ""NITL has been on the record wanting no more rail mergers. Generally shippers oppose continued consolidation in the rail industry based on past experiences resulting in increased rates, higher fees, and unreliable service;" and

Whereas, despite continual low operating ratios and record profits over the course of the last three decades, Wall Street is demanding even greater profits from the Class Ones, noting that traffic has been flat for more than a decade; and

Whereas, the way to build traffic is to provide better customer service, reduce rates, invest in infrastructure development, decrease dwell time and increase train velocity, etc. NOT simply expecting that a merger will result in increased carloads; and

Whereas, while true that a seamless rail transportation system coast-to-coast would provide great efficiencies, these can easily be offset by monopolistic practices and the political concentration of power and influence such a behemoth of a corporation would no doubt wield; and

Therefore, Be it Resolved, that Railroad Workers United (RWU) opposes this UP-NS merger as well as any and all takeovers, mergers, or other combinations of the remaining Class One railroads under the current system of private ownership; and

Be it Further Resolved that RWU urge railroad workers and their unions - together with the AFL-CIO and the entire labor movement - to likewise vigorously oppose any such merger, whether Union Pacific - Norfolk Southern, BNSF - CSX or otherwise; and

Be it Further Resolved that RWU urges all railroad workers unions to organize a joint, coordinated, all-crafts campaign with plans for escalating action in order to defend rail jobs, wages, benefits, and quality of life for their membership in face of as the carriers pursuing mergers and consolidations; and

Be it Finally Resolved that the only further consolidation of the continent's rail system that RWU would support is one that is publicly owned - how most nations' rail infrastructure is owned and operated today - and where the railroad workers are included in all aspects of managing railroad operations.

Text Box: 2Adopted by RWU Steering Committee 07/06/2025

Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern could reach merger deal by next week

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Freight Waves / July 26th


Union Pacific, the largest U.S. railroad, and Norfolk Southern could announce a tentative merger agreement as early as next week, according to a published report. Bloomberg cited sources familiar with the talks in its report Friday.


Omaha-based UP (NYSE: UNP), the largest Class I railroad and NS (NYSE: NSC), headquartered in Atlanta, recently confirmed that they have been in advanced discussions regarding a merger that if successful would create the first transcontinental railroad. A proposed consolidation would produce a rail colossus with $200 billion in market capitalization. 

CSX railroad reports 14% drop in 2nd quarter earnings amid merger rumors

SMART-TD considers strike against CPKC

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Trains Magazine / July 13th


The union representing Canadian Pacific Kansas City conductors is polling members on a possible strike, claiming the railroad took advantage of a service crisis to make workplace job changes on the former Kansas City Southern.


The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) Local 457’s General Committee of Adjustment is polling members on a possible strike vote, General Chairman Samuel Habjan confirmed in a brief phone interview with FreightWaves late Saturday (July 12, 2025). The results of the poll are expected today. Habjan would not speculate on the results of the poll, or the union’s plans.


An email signed by “union members local 781” and obtained by FreightWaves claimed that the railroad was using the service crisis to cut jobs and reduce some employees’ working hours.

Company to build $10 billion 165-mile elevated autonomous freight corridor between U.S. and Mexico

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CDL Life / June 20th


On June 20, Houston-headquartered Green Corridors announced that the White House granted approval to construct, maintain, and operate an autonomous Intelligent Freight Transportation System (IFTS) corridor between Laredo, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico. 


The project carries an estimate price tag of $10 billion, to be covered by Green Corridors in part through fees charged to customers moving freight through the system.


The IFTS system uses autonomous freight shuttles powered by hybrid electric motors to “relieve traffic congestion by moving freight off the road and onto elevated guideways connected to secure terminals,” the company says. “Our elevated guideway is a viaduct system that removes tractor trailer and container traffic from the public roadway, eliminating crashes and reducing traffic congestion."

NTSB to investigate rail death in Alabama (additional update)

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Trains Magazine / June 17th


The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the death of a Transtar Rail employee in Fairfield, Ala., the agency said in a social media post on Tuesday, June 17.


WIAT-TV reports that Michael Dewaine Townsend, 39, died from blunt force injuries after being hit by a railcar in an accident that occurred about 11 p.m. on Monday, June 16.


Eugene Debs: From Rail Labor Organizer to Socialist Agitator – Lessons for Today

Socialism Conference / July 3rd-6th


For the last several years RWU has participated in the annual Socialism Conference, organized by Haymarket Books, which is being held over the July 4th weekend in Chicago, IL. It’s an opportunity to meet, interact and connect with hundreds of activists and fighters for social justice from around the country as well as many international participants.


This year RWU is sponsoring a session titled: “Eugene Debs: From Rail Labor Organizer to Socialist Agitator – Lessons for Today.”


After the 1894 Pullman Strike was violently crushed by the federal militia, Debs advocated for socialism to his dying day. Imprisoned for opposing US involvement in WW I, he received almost a million votes for president in 1920. What can we learn from Debs’ evolution and legacy?

Visit the conference schedule for more info

VIA Rail Canada, Unifor announce tentative agreement on new contract

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Trains Magazine / June 20th


VIA Rail Canada and Canadian union Unifor have reached tentative agreement on a new three-year contract, averting a strike that could have begun as soon as this Sunday, June 22.


If ratified, the agreement will be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year and run through Dec. 31, 2027. VIA said terms would only be disclosed following ratification.


Unifor’s Council 4000 and Local 100 represent approximately 2,400 workers at stations, onboard trains, and at maintenance facilities. Union members voted in favor of a strike last month.

Editor's Note: Despite neighboring states passing two-person crew laws, Oregon remains on the sidelines—thanks in part to Rep. Paul Evans. Though once a supporter, Evans backed away when it mattered, claiming the issue was already resolved federally. It’s a familiar pattern: lawmakers talking safety until the rail lobby enters the room.

Representative Paul Evans sells out Oregon railroaders



SMART-TD / June 9th


Three states bordering Oregon (California, Washington, and Nevada) have passed two-person crew (2-PC) laws. 


Oregon State Representative Paul Evans (D) has voiced support for 2-PC in the past, signaling a readiness to join neighboring states in safeguarding critical logistics infrastructure in his state. When the time came, however, he refused to support the legislation. 


He claimed that Oregon has no use for the law, because he naively assumed the issue has already been resolved at the federal level.  

Editor's Note: Following a five-year standoff and a three-day strike in May, NJ Transit engineers have overwhelmingly ratified a new seven-year agreement. The deal raises wages above $50 per hour and includes retroactive pay and a signing bonus. With 89 percent turnout and 95 percent voting in favor, this shows what is possible when workers are willing to act and leadership doesn’t stand in the way.

NJ Transit engineers ratify new contract

TRN_NJT_Elizabeth_meet_Lassen image


Trains Magazine / June 10th


NJ Transit engineers have ratified a new agreement, ending a five-year contract dispute including a three-day strike in May.


Neither side immediately released details of the seven-year deal, retroactive to 2020. But the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said it includes a pay increase that will raise hourly wages to more than $50 per hour, along with retroactive wages and a signing bonus.



Some 89% of the engineers participated in the ratification vote, with 398 (95%) voting in favor and 21 against.


UP Track Worker KILLED ON THE JOB



Dear Fellow Railroad Workers:


A Union Pacific employee was killed Monday (June 9) in an incident near a grade crossing, the Nacogdoches Police Department reports. The brother's name has not yet been released but RWU will have an update in the weekly news digest next Tuesday morning.



KETK-TV reports that police responded to a report of an individual struck by a train about 3:28 p.m. Union Pacific, in a statement to the station, said, “We are saddened by the loss of a Union Pacific employee in Nacogdoches … Our sincerest sympathies are with his family, friends. and co-workers.” The incident is under investigation, the railroad said.


While we are saddened at the news of our brother's death, we must double our resolve to build a safer workplace where such tragedies are not so commonplace.


The Railroad Workers United Program for Fallen Rails urges you to do the following on behalf of our fallen brother, his friends and family, co-workers and all railroad workers:


Commit yourself to following up on how and why our brother or sister was killed. What is the behind-the-scenes story? What role did unsafe conditions, including short staffing, crew fatigue, inadequate training and/or qualifying, deferred maintenance, or other factors play in this fellow worker’s death?


Get involved in the national movement against blame the worker “behavior-based safety” programs. Help build real union-based safety committees and programs that focus on hazard elimination and do not ignore the underlying causes of accidents, injuries and fatalities sustained on the job. For more information, see the RWU webpage entitled "Oppose Behavior Based Safety."


Take part in the RWU annual Railroad Workers Memorial Day each April 28th. For more information, see the RWU webpage "Fallen Rails."


Join RWU and fight to build solidarity and unity among all railroad workers, and make safer workplaces for all.


Thank you.


Railroad Workers United

BNSF launches new team focused on single-carload growth

060325BNSF image


Progressive Railroading / June 3rd


BNSF Railway Co. yesterday announced it has created a new team focused on single carload growth.


Led by General Director of Marketing Mark Ganaway, the First Mile/Last Mile team combines the Class I's short-line development and industrial products business development teams. It will be dedicated to growing carload volume across BNSF’s 32,500-mile network, according to a BNSF press release.


“As our industry continues to evolve, every single carload is important to our network, and every single rail shipment helps our customers create more value for the nation’s consumer,” said BNSF Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Tom Williams. “First Mile/Last Mile will be focused on providing solutions and breaking down those barriers, leading to a more streamlined supply chain from start to finish.”

Editor's Note: While it is true that short lines play a crucial role, much of this trackage was spun off from its original owners in the last 50 years or so, none other than the Class One railroads. Knowing that they could still reap the benefits of the "long haul" of many of these loads, the Class Ones opted out of the first and last haulage miles by shedding this trackage to often non-union start-ups.

NS: Short lines play a 'crucial role'

Norfolk-Southern-and-short-line-partners image


Railway Age / May 23rd


Norfolk Southern hosted its annual Short Line Conference on May 14, bringing together nearly 200 representatives from its network of more than 270 short line partners.


“Throughout 2024 and into 2025, Norfolk Southern has been working with more than 40 short line partners on the Short Line Improvement Project to enhance tools and daily visibility at interchanges,” the Class I noted. “Alongside participating short lines, we have intensified our two-way communication, improved interchange planning, and eliminated growth bottlenecks. Based on the success at these locations, we’re now scaling the program to all our 260-plus short line connections. Our latest video (view below) features leaders from Norfolk Southern and key short line partners sharing how improved interchange performance is creating growth, customer confidence, and long-term success.”



HANDS OFF!

APRIL 5th NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION



The International Steering Committee (ISC) of Railroad Workers United met on April 2, 2025, at which time we adopted the following three resolutions. Considered together, these raise alarm over the manifold harm that attacks on federal workers, threats to our scarce social safety net (including retirement security), and the privatization of our public goods are exacting on all workers, our democracy, and our future.


We urge you to read these resolutions in full (click on the links), join with activists across the U.S. this Saturday, April 5th, and on May Day, Thursday, May 1st to fight back and say Hands Off! our dignity, safety, and security. To find a local April 5th action near you, visit the Hand Off! national campaign website.


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👊🏽 RWU Resolution on Solidarity with Unionized Federal Workers


RWU strongly opposes the federal government's sweeping staffing cuts across agencies, causing harm to public services — especially for poor and working-class communities — and threats to the livelihoods of dedicated civil servants. We call on railroad unions, workers, and labor activists to unite in solidarity with federal workers and actively resist these attacks.


We strongly endorse April 5th and May 1st, "May Day," as days of action and urge broader labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO, to organize and participate in national efforts defending unionized federal workers.




📢 RWU Resolution in Support of the Railroad Retirement System 


RWU defends the Railroad Retirement System, opposing field office closures and funding restrictions despite the system being self-funded and essential for workers. We call for modernization and protection, urging the government to release internal funds for tech upgrades and to preserve the system’s infrastructure. We urge collective union action, and encourage all railroad workers and retirees to mobilize and advocate for the system’s preservation.




🚆 RWU Resolution in Support of Amtrak


RWU supports keeping Amtrak public, and we oppose any efforts to privatize it that would reduce service, compromise safety, and eliminate good union jobs. We call for expanded investment in Amtrak, including more routes, better stations, new trains, and a larger union workforce. We urge unions, communities, and allies to stand with us in protecting and growing Amtrak as a critical public transportation system.

IBEW ratifies contract with rail carriers


Trains Magazine / March 25th


The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has ratified a five-year agreement with the National Carriers Conference Committee. The contract includes an 18.77% compounded wage increase over five years.


Other features include enhanced vacation benefits and the ability to carry over up to 4 unused paid sick days, up to a maximum of 20 days, with a 100% cash-out option upon leaving service.


FRA Sunsets C3RS RSAC Working Group

Brotherhood Of Railroad Signalmen / March 25th


The Federal Railroad Administration has decided to withdraw the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) from the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee.


In addition, the FRA is deactivating the C3RS Working Group, which had been tasked with exploring how to improve rail safety through a voluntary, non-punitive safety reporting system.



CSXT: BLET exposes safety flaws with “zero-to-zero” technology that controls braking and urges the FRA to conduct further study

CSXT’s Product Safety Plan would allow software to completely operate and control the train’s movements — not a certified locomotive engineer.


If approved, zero-to-zero would almost completely automate the movement of a train from the beginning to the end of a run, moving at full speed and adjusting speed throughout the trip.


BLET’s reasons why CSXT’s request should be denied included violated operating rules while zero-to-zero has control of a train, the “deskilling” of locomotive engineers, and operation in adverse weather conditions





Musk puts privatization target on Amtrak



Trains Magazine / March 6th


Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who heads the advisory “Department of Government Efficiency” as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to upend business as usual in Washington, told a tech conference this week that Amtrak should be privatized.


Musk offered no specifics on how Amtrak could be privatized or what company would be interested in running a passenger railroad that posted a $705 million adjusted operating loss in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.



Musk said Amtrak was an embarrassment compared to other passenger railroads around the globe. “If you’re coming from another country, please don’t use our national rail. It can leave you with a very bad impression of America,” he said.

Amtrak Is Instead Hyping Up Its Trains Of The Future Like The Airo

Literally, just prior to Elon's comments, Amtrak promoted its new Airo train set to launch in 2026.

Amtrak wrote, "Offering a more sustainable way to travel and featuring a modern design with world-class amenities, Amtrak Airo will transform the travel experience. The new trains will elevate the journey with a focus on comfort and efficiency, providing even more advantages to traveling by rail."

The Airo is in fact built in America, while boosting jobs nationwide with 13,500+ parts manufactured by nearly 100 suppliers in 31 states. Even before it hit the tracks, President Roger Harris praised the project for creating jobs.

"As we build to support the soaring demand for train travel, Amtrak Airo is creating jobs even before the trains are on the track."

The Airo will be featured across 14 different lines. The experience will be upgraded, along with quicker travel times.


How California overcame a major barrier to rail electrification

High Speed Rail Alliance / January 25

 

Rail electrification with overhead catenary, critical to high speed rail, is an unambiguous positive for the environment. It produces no air pollution at point of source, can be powered entirely by renewable energy, as California High Speed Rail will, and even using California’s current grid emits more than 100x less CO2 per passenger than diesel trains. More importantly, the faster acceleration, higher maximum speeds, and lower maintenance costs compared to other types of trains allow for higher levels of service, creating a demonstrated “Sparks Effect” of higher ridership that reduces emissions from cars. For these reasons and more, mainstream environmentalists have embraced overhead electrification as a climate solution.

 Despite the obvious benefits of electric rail, environmental law has been misused to obstruct vital rail electrification projects. While the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California’s version of NEPA, provide critical protections against many environmentally damaging projects, over time their scope has been expanded by the courts, enabling abuse by wealthy interests. 

 


Are passenger trains entering a golden age or reaching the end of the line?

Following decades of penny-pinching, the first half of the 2020s appeared to be the beginning of a golden age for passenger rail investment in the United States. 

 

Since 2021, Amtrak has received approximately $32 billion from the federal government as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, allowing the national passenger railroad to address a years-long backlog of infrastructure and equipment upgrades. The act also provided funding to study the expansion of Amtrak’s network — including reviving a second route across Montana, the North Coast Hiawatha, that hasn’t had service since 1979. 

 

While the fruits of that historic investment are still years away in some instances, officials had other reasons to celebrate. During fiscal year 2024, Amtrak carried a record-breaking 32.8 million passengers, a 15% increase over the previous year and a return to its pre-pandemic ridership. The railroad also brought in $2.5 billion in ticket revenue, a record amount in its 53-year history.



People before profits - trains are back in public hands

EIN Presswire / February 3

 

Increased security and CCTV headline benefits for commuters as rail operations are returned to public control four years after they were sold off by the Marshall government - despite the former Liberal premier’s pledge that he didn’t have a privatization agenda.

 

The return of train services to public hands today – with trams to follow later this year – realizes a major Malinauskas Labor Government election commitment.

 

The State Government announced in April last year that it had reached agreements with the private rail operators to bring train and tram services back into public hands in line with Labor’s pledge – which was made before the private contracts were ever signed. Under these agreements, the State Government will not pay any break fees.

 

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