Bill Stephens

1 week ago | trains.com | Bill Stephens

A moribund Norfolk Southern coal-hauling branch in Alabama last month hosted its first train in more than a decade. NS coal train 702 rumbled over the revived Berry Branch, carrying Warrior steelmaking coal to export at the Port of Mobile, Ala., via the railroad’s 3-B Corridor. “Right now it is one train a week, and at full ramp up we expect up to 10 trains a week,” railroad spokeswoman Katie Byrd says.

1 week ago | trains.com | Bill Stephens

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs sought to rally the troops today as the railroad continues to battle congestion that began in the weeks before a key Baltimore tunnel was closed on Feb. 1 for a long-awaited clearance project. In a bulletin to employees, Hinrichs touted the railroad’s industry-leading operational and financial performance record over the past few years.

1 week ago | trains.com | Bill Stephens

OMAHA, Neb. – BNSF Railway posted higher profits in the first quarter thanks to a combination of volume growth and pricing gains, corporate parent Berkshire Hathaway announced on Saturday. “The railroad is earning a little more than last year but it’s not earning what it should be earning at the present time,” Berkshire CEO Warren Buffett said at the company’s annual meeting on Saturday. “But that’s solvable and is getting solved.

2 weeks ago | trains.com | Bill Stephens

Despite mounting uncertainty over tariffs, trade policy, and the economy, most major railroads held firm on their 2025 outlooks — contrasting with a wave of guidance cuts across other industries. Among the five publicly traded Class I railroads, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific kept their guidance intact, while Canadian Pacific Kansas City and CSX made slight downward adjustments during their first-quarter earnings calls over the past three weeks.

2 weeks ago | trains.com | Bill Stephens

WASHINGTON — Short line holding company Regional Rail is acquiring the Minnesota Commercial Railway, which operates 86 miles of trackage around the Twin Cities. “The transaction will promote Regional Rail’s strategic and growth objectives, and help sustain MNNR’s efficiency, financial strength, and ability to meet the needs of shippers,” Regional Rail said in a regulatory filing today (May 2, 2025). Minnesota Commercial is currently controlled by The Rebecca G. Gohmann Trust.