STB Sets 2Q26 Rail Cost Adjustment Factor
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved the Association of American Railroads' Rail Cost Adjustment Factor (RCAF) figures for the second quarter of 2026. The unadjusted RCAF rose to 1.016, a 0.1% increase from Q1, while the adjusted RCAF slipped to 0.388 and the RCAF‑5 fell to 0.368, each down 0.3% QoQ. The adjusted indices incorporate a five‑year moving productivity trend of 1.014 (about 1.4% per year) for Class I railroads. These numbers become the baseline for railroad pricing contracts and cost‑recovery calculations for the upcoming quarter.
Rail Shippers Raise Concerns About Middle East Conflict (UPDATED 3/23)
The Fertilizer Institute and the Alliance for Chemical Distribution have each written to the Surface Transportation Board urging Class I railroads to prioritize fertilizer shipments and to scrutinize any conflict‑related surcharges. The letters cite the closure of the Strait of...
For Metrolink, ‘Temporary’ Service Cuts Amid Equipment Shortage
Metrolink will temporarily reduce weekday service beginning March 23, cutting roughly 40 trips – about one‑fifth of its schedule – as it grapples with a surge in mechanical failures and a shortage of replacement parts. The cuts affect six of...
NTSB Issues ‘Rail Propulsion Power Systems’ Safety Alert
The National Transportation Safety Board issued a safety alert highlighting critical failures in electric propulsion power systems across aging U.S. rail networks. Investigators documented electrical arcing, fires and smoke caused by water‑intruded cables, worn third‑rail contacts, and corroded connectors, often...
Using NJT, SCOTUS Sets Limits on State ‘Sovereign Immunity’
On March 4, 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion in Galette v. New Jersey Transit, holding that NJ Transit is not an "arm of the State" and therefore cannot claim sovereign immunity in out‑of‑state lawsuits. The Court...
OmniTRAX Adds Arm & Hammer to Rail Network
OmniTRAX announced a long‑term rail switching agreement with Church & Dwight’s Arm & Hammer baking‑soda plant in Green River, Wyoming. The facility produces pharmaceutical‑grade sodium bicarbonate on site atop the region’s massive trona deposits, which supply about 90 % of global supply. This marks...
SSL Announces Opening of Monon Corridor Service; Noland Retires as President
South Shore Line (SSL) will launch passenger service on its new 8‑mile Monon Corridor extension at 11:45 a.m. on March 31, 2026, adding stations at 173rd Street in Hammond, Ridge Road in Munster, and the Munster/Dyer border. The rollout follows a multi‑year strategic plan that...
Keolis Appoints Lonchamp as EVP of Finance
Keolis North America announced on March 17 that Matthieu Lonchamp will serve as Executive Vice President, Finance, joining the regional executive committee in Boston. Lonchamp arrives from Schneider Electric, where he held senior CFO roles for North America Low Voltage...
Labor Updates: LIRR, TTC
The Presidential Emergency Board’s second review of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) contract dispute sided with the five‑union coalition, recommending a 14% wage increase over four years and retroactive pay. The board deemed the union’s final offer more reasonable...
FTA Launches Safety Investigation of Illinois DOT Oversight of CTA
The Federal Transit Administration has launched a Safety Management Inspection of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s State Safety Oversight program for the Chicago Transit Authority. The inspection aims to uncover root causes of persistent deficiencies, including limited onsite presence, weak...
Transit Briefs: Transdev Canada, MARTA, SEPTA, BART
Transdev Canada secured a 14‑year contract to operate exo’s commuter rail, maintain locomotives and yards, with a one‑year mobilization and two optional two‑year renewals. MARTA rolled out its upgraded Breeze fare‑payment system on March 28, 2026, adding tap‑to‑pay via cards...
Class I Briefs: UP, NS
Union Pacific (UP) joined Cook County’s $99.1 million Touhy Avenue project, constructing a new bridge that lifts UP tracks over the planned I‑490 tollway and improves access to O’Hare Airport. The upgrade, slated for completion by the end of 2027, will...
People News: Wabtec, STV
Wabtec named Sameer Gaur President of Global Freight Services, tasking him with overseeing locomotive reliability across more than 30 countries. Gaur brings a 29‑year, three‑continent career that includes senior roles at CN, GE Rail Service, and GE Transportation. STV promoted...
CSS, NYA Take Part in Locomotive Upgrades
Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) and New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA) are advancing extensive locomotive rebuild programs under Anacostia Rail Holding. CSS plans to have 12 of its 13 road locomotives overhauled by the end of 2026, adding upgraded...
Ray Betler Joins Intramotev Board
Intramotev, the developer of the TugVolt autonomous battery‑electric railcar, has added former Wabtec President and CEO Ray Betler to its board as an independent director. Betler previously steered Wabtec through the $18 billion Faiveley acquisition and the merger with GE Transportation,...
Standard Rail Launches SIDINGS™ API
Standard Rail Corporation unveiled the SIDINGS™ API, a machine‑readable interface that delivers real‑time rail‑connected service data. The API structures information for easy integration into software, AI tools, and enterprise systems, enabling faster discovery of facilities, services, and routing options. By...
NSHR To Be Honored for ‘Veterans Engagement’
North Shore Railroad (NSHR) will be honored with the 2026 Veterans Engagement Award by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association at its upcoming conference in Minneapolis. The award recognizes NSHR’s extensive veteran recruitment, retention and community initiatives, including...
SMART-TD Urges Congress to Support UP-NS Merger
The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division (SMART‑TD) sent a letter to Congress urging support for the Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern (UP‑NS) merger. The union argues the deal will stabilize the rail workforce, create...
NS, Progress Rail Collaborate to Upgrade 96 Locomotives
Norfolk Southern and Progress Rail will convert 96 DC‑traction SD70M‑2 locomotives to AC traction, with deliveries scheduled from 2027 to 2029. The upgrades include individual‑axle control, ADEM® diesel engine management and remanufactured 16‑cylinder EMD 710 engines delivering 4,300 hp. NS claims...
Serviacero USA Acquires Gulf Inland Logistics Park Rail-Served Site
Serviacero USA, a leading Mexican steel solutions group, has purchased a dual‑rail‑served parcel at Gulf Inland Logistics Park to launch its first U.S. manufacturing operation. The site provides direct access to BNSF and Union Pacific, with more than 2,000 railcar...
The Final Act of Independence
Historian John Hankey argues that the rise of railroads in the 1820s and 1830s was the decisive factor that secured American political independence. By providing reliable, low‑cost, all‑weather transport across the continent, rail mobility removed the logistical barriers that had...
Collision Avoidance, the AI Way
Australian firm 4AI Systems, spun out of a 2016 university robotics project, now offers AI‑driven perception suites that sit onboard trains to detect obstacles in real time. Israeli startup RailVision complements this approach with digital‑twin analytics, piloting video‑AI sensors on...
Building Successful Industrial Development Spaces
Railroad operators Norfolk Southern and Watco are actively courting manufacturers by offering tailored industrial‑development services and financing support. Watco has poured more than $600 million into projects such as Bartlett’s 49 million‑bushel soybean plant and Charlotte Pipe’s $80 million PVC facility, while NS...
Intermodal Focus: South Carolina Ports Authority
The South Carolina Ports Authority, now the No. 8 U.S. container port by volume, leverages the East Coast’s deepest harbor and a $3 billion expansion plan to reach 10 million TEUs. Recent investments include the Navy Base Intermodal Facility, capable of handling 14,000‑foot...
Wheel/Rail Vertical Impact Force Measurement Comparison
Under the AAR Strategic Research Initiatives program, MxV Rail evaluated three wheel‑rail vertical impact measurement methods—high‑accuracy instrumented wheelsets (IWS), a new bearing adapter (NBA), and a high‑accuracy in‑track bi‑circuit (HAC)—using portable rail bumps (PRBs) to generate controlled loads. Across 162...
The 1,550-Pound Gorilla – Part 4 of 5
The article examines the Union Pacific‑Norfolk Southern merger, describing it as a 1,550‑pound “gorilla” that will dominate U.S. rail markets. It estimates that 25% of 2 million truckloads—about 500,000 units—could shift to rail over 7‑10 years if rates justify the switch,...
Waynova Group Unveils Unified Technology Platform
Waynova Group has combined four specialized rail‑technology firms—ZEDAS, Railroad Software, Raspberry Software and Automated Rail—into a single international platform. The unified solution delivers software and hardware for asset management, maintenance, inspection, yard operations, revenue protection and field devices across North...
Ocean of Capital Chasing Trains
The rail industry is experiencing a wave of liquidity as infrastructure funds, insurance companies, and private‑equity firms pour billions into railcar and locomotive financing. Traditional tax‑leveraged leases are being replaced by long‑horizon passive capital and CDO‑structured debt, reshaping the capital...
Cando to Acquire Savage Rail
Cando Rail & Terminals announced its acquisition of Savage Rail, a leading U.S. rail services provider. The deal will combine Cando’s Canadian network with Savage’s 36 terminals, three short‑line railways and 80 first‑ and last‑mile operations, creating a coast‑to‑coast platform...
Trinity: ‘Disciplined Lease Pricing’ and ‘Active Portfolio Management’ Delivers ‘Strong’ 4Q25, Full-Year Results
Trinity Industries posted Q4 2025 revenue of $611.2 million, a 2.97% decline year‑over‑year, driven by weaker external deliveries in its Rail Products Group. The Rail Products segment saw a 23.3% revenue drop to $426.7 million, while the Railcar Leasing and...
People News: GPA, Sound Transit, Reading & Northern
Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) announced Kevin Price will become President on July 1, 2026 and transition to President‑CEO by mid‑2027, bringing three decades of terminal operations experience. Sound Transit revealed three senior hires – Jessyn Farrell as Executive Director of...
Wabtec Acquires Dellner Couplers (UPDATED 2/11)
Wabtec announced a definitive agreement to acquire Dellner Couplers for $960 million in cash, funded by cash on hand and short‑term debt. The deal values Dellner at roughly 12.5 times its projected 2025 EBITDA and includes anticipated $22 million in cost synergies over...
