Regulatory

January 16, 2026: In a decision predicted by Railway Age (“Why Not a Merger Timeout?,” Watching Washington, November 2025 issue), the Surface Transportation Board in a unanimous decision rejected, “without…

Despite a snow squall that snarled traffic and shut down Chicago’s airports for a couple of hours, the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) opened its 2026 Winter Meeting with…

ITS Logistics issues its U.S. Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index for January. Also, CN sends a “Supply Chain Salute” to the Port of Prince Rupert in British Columba, which it serves…

U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and John Hoeven (R-ND) recently introduced the bipartisan Passenger Rail Crew Protection Act (PRCPA) to enhance public safety by “ensuring passenger rail crew members are…

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has awarded approximately $97 million to ten rail-related projects that it said prioritize public transit in communities most affected by pollution. They will be…

CN on Jan. 8 filed a motion with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) “to compel additional information in relation to the proposed merger agreement between Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk…

Eastern railroad volumes finished 2025 weaker than expected, and we have lowered 4Q25 estimates. We remain below consensus on Union Pacific, and lower 2026 EPS estimates below consensus for all…

Republican Richard Kloster, whose nomination to an open seat on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) failed to exit the Senate Commerce Committee during the first session of the 119th Congress,…

Fewer than six months after scrapping a rail labor, management and supplier-supported Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is restoring it, but with a smaller membership…

The last of 60 new Alstom LRVs (light rail vehicles) enters service at Toronto Transit Commission. Also, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) Public Safety Department launches a…

The St. Louis Regional Freightway in Missouri (Freightway) has released its 2026 Priority Projects List, with 29 projects totaling nearly $8.9 billion in investments.

FINANCIAL EDGE, RAILWAY AGE JANUARY 2026 ISSUE: All industries have “drops.” In the world of the sneaker-head it is the release of the latest Air Jordan basketball shoe. For movies…

The $480 million project will upgrade 14.7-mile (23.6-kilometer) line without a full closure.

On Jan. 8, shortly following release of several customer letters and Surface Transportation Board filings from BNSF, CSX, CN and CPKC on the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger (which Railway…

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is restoring all morning express trips on Regional Rail as more Silverliner IVs return to service. Also, STM (Société de transport de Montréal) releases its…

Bellevue, Wash.-based CloudMoyo will deliver crew management systems to Grupo Mexico Transportes (GMXT) to help “modernize its railway operations.”

The Railway Association of Canada (RAC) on Jan. 8 released Rail Trends 2025—a rolling, 10-year review of financial and statistical results for the industry. Highlights of Rail Trends 2025 include:…

New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill announced Jan. 8 that Kris Kolluri, current President and CEO of NJ Transit, will retain his role at NJ Transit and also be nominated as…

The first of three Siemens Venture trainsets was officially unveiled Jan. 8, ahead of the Northlander passenger-rail service revival later this year between Timmins and Toronto, with a rail connection…

Panelists at our recent Railroad Roundtable projected weak demand for 2026. Tightening truckload capacity is encouraging but not impacting rates enough yet to gain confidence in rail pricing cycle. The…