CPKC 1Q26: ‘Resilient Performance’
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) posted first‑quarter 2026 results showing modest revenue decline and slight earnings contraction amid macroeconomic headwinds. Revenue slipped 2% to C$3.7 billion (≈$2.74 billion) and diluted EPS fell 3% to C$0.94. The reported operating ratio rose 70 basis points to 66.0% and the core adjusted OR increased to 63.0%, reflecting higher fuel and foreign‑exchange costs. Safety metrics were mixed, with FRA‑reportable personal‑injury frequency down but train‑accident frequency more than doubling.
UP’s Big Boy to Tour the Northeast
Union Pacific’s iconic Big Boy No. 4014 will embark on the eastern leg of its 2026 coast‑to‑coast tour, departing May 25 and crossing the Mississippi River for the first time since its 1941 debut. Partnering with Norfolk Southern, the locomotive will travel...
TexAmericas Center Advances Rail-Served Data-Center Site Project
TexAmericas Center announced that its Project Big Pine, a rail‑served industrial development in the Texarkana region, is ready for phased delivery. The 500‑acre site targets roughly $3.5 billion in investment and will cater to data centers, AI infrastructure, and other power‑intensive...
NS Launches New Intermodal Service Connecting Cincinnati and Atlanta
Norfolk Southern announced a new intermodal service linking Cincinnati, Ohio, and Atlanta, Georgia, launching the week of May 4, 2026. The lane uses NS’s existing terminals and a fleet of 53‑foot containers to move freight both northbound and southbound. It targets...
Transit Briefs: TTC, Metra, Metrolink
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) asked Ontario’s Ministry of Labor for a no‑board report to head off a potential strike by its 700 skilled electricians ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Metra announced a 2½‑year marketing partnership with Chicago...
Geoforce Lands Railcar Telematics Contract From U.S. Army
Geoforce, through its AssetLink Global subsidiary, secured a multi‑year U.S. Army Transportation Command contract to provide railcar in‑transit visibility. The agreement, which began deployment in December 2025, equips Department of War‑owned railcars with advanced sensors for load, impact, temperature, and...
Intramotev, Austria’s ÖBB Forge TugVolt Commercial Agreement
St. Louis‑based Intramotev has signed a commercial agreement with Austria’s ÖBB Rail Cargo Group to deploy its TugVolt autonomous battery‑electric freight railcar, marking the technology’s first regulated use case and first international rollout. ÖBB moves more than 1,000 freight trains...
Arup Appoints Three Senior Leaders in Toronto Office
Arup announced three senior appointments in its Toronto office: Adrian Sheppard as Rail Project Director, Chris Teolis as Americas Region Data and AI Leader, and Susanne Manaigre as Rail Operations and Maintenance Leader. The hires bring a combined 90 years...
Port of Coos Bay Awarded $11MM to Advance PCIP Project
The Port of Coos Bay received an $11 million federal award to advance the Port Community Intermodal Project (PCIP), a ship‑to‑rail container terminal on the North Spit. The funding builds on prior INFRA and CRISI grants and Oregon’s $100 million state commitment,...
Amtrak, New York MTA in Court Faceoff
Amtrak filed a petition for a preliminary injunction against the MTA's Metro‑North, alleging the commuter railroad has been denying Amtrak's non‑revenue train movements on the New Haven and Hudson lines of the Northeast Corridor. The suit, filed in the Southern...
CPKC Reaches Tentative Agreements With SMART-TD, BLET
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) reached tentative agreements with the SMART‑TD and BLET unions covering roughly 1,700 train and engine service employees in 11 U.S. states. The eight‑year SMART‑TD deal features a 32.5% general wage increase, guaranteed two consecutive rest...
For Port of Montreal, ‘Solid’ 2025 Results
The Montreal Port Authority posted solid 2025 results, with operating revenue climbing to C$155.4 million (≈ $113 million USD) and net income reaching C$24.2 million (≈ $17.7 million USD). Container volumes rose 3.6% to 1.52 million TEUs, while overall tonnage slipped modestly amid geopolitical headwinds and low...
SFMTA, WMATA Approve Operational and Capital Budgets
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) approved a two‑year operating budget of $1.5 billion for FY2026‑27 and $1.6 billion for FY2027‑28, plus a capital plan of $655 million and $546 million respectively. A $200 million state loan closes a $307 million shortfall, while cost‑saving measures...
Third Airo Trainset Making Its Way East
Amtrak’s third Airo trainset for the Cascades service has departed Siemens Mobility’s Sacramento plant and is en route to the Northeast Corridor for static and dynamic testing. The eight trainsets earmarked for the Pacific Northwest are part of a larger...
BREG, OmniTRAX Collaborate to Grow Rail Real Estate Platform Into National IOS Network
Broe Real Estate Group (BREG) announced a $100 million investment to expand its rail‑connected industrial real‑estate platform into a national network of Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS) and multimodal logistics hubs. The effort partners with OmniTRAX, leveraging its 35‑railroad short‑line system and...
STB Signs Off on New Maverick County, Tex., Line
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved GER’s petition to build a new rail and commercial motor‑vehicle line in Maverick County, Texas, linking the Eagle Pass border to Union Pacific’s Eagle Pass Subdivision. The Board selected the Southern Rail Alternative as...
Transit Briefs: KC Streetcar, SEPTA, Metrolinx, BART
Kansas City’s $62 million Riverfront Extension of its streetcar system will open on May 18, adding 0.7 miles and a new northern terminus at the Riverfront Station. SEPTA reported a 30% drop in serious crimes year‑over‑year, installed full‑height fare gates at ten stations...
Cargill Opens Regina Canola Facility
Cargill announced that its new canola processing plant in Regina, Saskatchewan, is now fully operational. The facility can handle up to 1 million metric tons of canola each year, serving growers in Saskatchewan and western Manitoba. Situated at the Global Transportation...
GAO to USDOT: Report to Congress on Multimodal Freight Office Progress
The Government Accountability Office has urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to resume regular congressional reporting on its Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, a unit created by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to coordinate freight across...
Joan Smemoe Promoted to Railinc President
Joan Smemoe has been appointed President of Railinc, effective April 1, succeeding Allen West after his two‑decade tenure. Smemoe joins the company after a 20‑year career that includes roles as senior software engineer, project development manager, and CIO since 2018. In...
FRA: Applications Welcome for Partnership-NEC Grants
The Federal Railroad Administration has opened a $4.75 billion grant window for the FY 2025‑26 Partnership‑NEC program, aimed at revitalizing the Northeast Corridor’s intercity passenger rail network. By earmarking funds for capital projects that address the backlog of deferred maintenance, improve service...
FRA: $2B Now Available in CRISI Grant Funding
The Federal Railroad Administration announced an additional $2 billion for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, bringing total FY25‑26 grant availability to $2 billion. Since its 2017 launch, CRISI has invested nearly $6 billion in projects that boost rail safety,...
Transit Briefs: San Diego MTS/NICTD, MDOT MTA, NJ Transit, Amtrak
San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and North County Transit District (NCTD) recommended their first fare hike since 2009, raising adult monthly passes from $72 to $85 and outlining a second increase to $95 in 2027. Maryland’s MTA announced a...
USDOT OIG to FRA: Improve Oversight and Management of Accountable Personal Property
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General released an audit on April 14 highlighting serious shortcomings in the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) management of accountable personal property (APP). FRA’s core policy, unchanged since 1993, fails to meet the...
Canadian Government Launches Labor Relations Consultations
On April 17, the Canadian government announced a nationwide consultation to modernize the federal labor relations framework affecting federally regulated industries such as transportation, banking, and postal services. The 30‑day feedback window, closing May 18, invites employers, unions, and employee...
BLET Members Ratify New Contract With Tacoma Rail
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with Tacoma Municipal Belt Railway after a nine‑year negotiation. The contract provides retroactive wage payments covering 2017‑2025 and sets scheduled wage increases for 2026‑2029. It also...
David Leininger Returns to DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit announced that David Leininger will assume the role of Interim President and CEO on May 4, 2026, following Nadine S. Lee’s departure. Leininger previously served as DART’s CFO for nine years and as interim leader during...
BLET, Utah Central Ratify New Agreement
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified its first contract with Utah Central, the short‑line railroad that voted to unionize in December 2024. The agreement mirrors core provisions of other BLET contracts, including a seniority roster, general wage increases,...
Transit Briefs: ATP, CTDOT
The Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) has awarded Kiewit Austin Partnership the design‑build contract for the Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) that will support Austin’s $7 billion Project Connect light‑rail system. The OMF will house vehicle storage, servicing and dispatch, creating thousands...
Fink, Fuchs, Souder, Batory Headlining MSU ‘Rails to the Future’ Conference
Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business is launching the inaugural "Rails to the Future" conference May 11‑13, 2026 in Troy, Michigan. The three‑day event celebrates 200 years of rail innovation and looks ahead to the next era of...
ITS Logistics Releases April Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index
ITS Logistics released its April Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index, warning that all U.S. port and rail regions face heightened cost pressure. The index cites the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis, four years of trucking capacity exits, and elevated diesel prices...
People News: Alstom, RailPros, STV, STB/NCTD
Rail industry leaders announced a series of senior appointments across North America. Alstom promoted Susie Lévesque to VP of Procurement for the Americas and Noah Heulitt to VP of Services in North America, both effective in early 2026, while also...
FTA Issues ‘Transit Worker Fatigue’ Safety Bulletin
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released a safety bulletin on April 10, 2026 highlighting a sharp rise in transit‑worker fatigue incidents. Since 2014, 133 fatigue‑related safety events have been identified, with 73 occurring after 2022, resulting in one fatality, 149...
Industrial Development for Sustained Growth
Industrial development now hinges on speed, partnership, and execution, not just location. R.J. Corman is launching a publicly searchable database of rail‑served sites across its 19 short lines to boost visibility and reduce friction in site selection. Proactive collaboration with...
Transit Briefs: DART, SEPTA
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its FY 2026 budget and 20‑year financial plan, underscoring its focus on transparent, long‑term fiscal stewardship. The award, judged by more than 1,900 participants, signals...
People News: HNTB, TRB
HNTB announced that former New Jersey DOT commissioner Francis O’Connor has joined as Senior Vice President and Business Development Director, focusing on agency and tolling growth. O’Connor brings leadership experience from NJDOT, NJ Transit, and the Turnpike Authority. The firm...
STB Advances LGIR Texas Project
The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis issued a Draft Environmental Assessment for Laredo Gateway Industrial Railway’s proposed 2.6‑mile common‑carrier line in Webb County, Texas. LGIR, a Kraus Development subsidiary, has petitioned for an exemption to bypass standard prior‑approval...
Investing With Customers for Growth
Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) is leveraging customer‑driven industrial projects to fuel its own growth, exemplified by two flagship investments on opposite coasts. In Savannah, the Georgia Central Railway (GC) backed Hyundai’s $5 billion electric‑vehicle plant with track upgrades, higher speeds and...
STB Eyes Changes to Ex Parte Regs
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is seeking public comment on a proposed overhaul of its ex parte communication rules, prompted by an Association of American Railroads petition. The board aims to clarify “routine” and “procedural” contacts, allow technical queries with...
Supporting the U.S. Economy
CSX is leveraging its rail network to support U.S. re‑industrialization through its Select Sites® program, which certifies rail‑ready industrial properties. Since its 2012 launch, the initiative has grown to 80 certified sites across a dozen states, adding 21 new locations...
Rail Shippers Raise Concerns About Middle East Conflict (UPDATED 4/15)
The Fertilizer Institute and the Alliance for Chemical Distribution have each sent letters to the Surface Transportation Board urging Class I railroads to prioritize fertilizer shipments and warning against unjustified surcharges amid the Strait of Hormuz closure caused by the...
Conrail Modernizing Critical Systems
Conrail, the neutral asset manager for Norfolk Southern and CSX, is overhauling its signaling, communications and power distribution systems through an expanded partnership with automation specialist WAGO. Since 2019 the railroad has deployed WAGO PLCs, HMIs and spring‑pressure CAGE CLAMP...
Rail’s Imperative: Building Resilience and Value
Trinity Industries argues that rail’s future depends on network velocity, equipment reliability and capital efficiency rather than fleet size alone. It outlines investments in automated manufacturing, flexible car designs, expanded mobile maintenance and digital telematics to cut cycle times and...
Transit Briefs: BART, MBTA
BART reported a post‑pandemic ridership surge in March, logging 5,403,140 exits—the highest monthly total since the COVID era and 13% above budget. Average weekday trips exceeded 200,000 for the first time since the pandemic, while Saturday ridership rose 38% year‑over‑year,...
APTA’s Legislative Conference Calls for ‘Robust’ Federal Investment
At its 2026 Legislative Conference, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) called for a robust federal investment, recommending $138 billion for public transit and $130 billion for passenger rail over the next five years. APTA’s new Economic Impact report claims every dollar...
Don’t Let Misinformation Derail Safety
The Railway Safety Act faces criticism that its stricter standards are a union‑driven jobs program, but evidence shows the measures address genuine safety gaps. A 2017 Transportation Technology Center study identified 15‑mile hot‑bearing detector (HBD) spacing as optimal, and the...
TD Cowen NEARS Conference Takeaways
At the NEARS conference, Union Pacific reaffirmed its long‑term short‑line partnership strategy, while Norfolk Southern emphasized that the pending merger could dramatically cut empty railcar miles by enabling a national intermodal network. Attendees highlighted accelerating AI adoption and new automation‑focused...
Engineering Reliability in a Changing Rail Industry
FreightCar America argues that the future of freight rail hinges on engineering discipline that couples safety with manufacturing consistency. By embedding layers‑of‑protection into design and production, the company reduces error and variability, enabling scalable output even as demand fluctuates. Targeted...
RIP, D.C. Streetcar (Updated)
The District of Columbia’s modern streetcar, a 2.2‑mile line that began service in February 2016, ran its final trip on March 31, 2026. The line, built at a cost of roughly $190 million, never achieved sustainable ridership, peaking at 1.2 million riders...
Transit Briefs: MBTA, Ontario’s Northlander
The MBTA announced that more than 17,450 Boston Stadium Train mTickets were sold across the first five 2026 World Cup matches, shattering previous special‑event ticket records. In the first hour alone, nearly 11,000 round‑trip tickets were purchased, and 6,200 tickets...