GoRail

📣🚆 Congress is debating surface transportation policy this week. What gets decided now will shape freight rail investment, safety progress, and supply chain performance for years. Lawmakers need to hear from constituents before the details are locked in. Send a letter urging Congress to prioritize freight rail and avoid policies that would undermine private investment or slow operational improvements. Take action now: gorail.quorum.us/campaign/prior…

I had the opportunity to join the Michigan Railroad Association’s Rail Advocacy Day in Lansing this week. Thank you to all of the legislators and staff who met with us to discuss the importance of freight rail to the state of Michigan.

Freight rail safety trends are moving in the right direction — and the data matters. In this clip from @AAR_FreightRail's “Coffee Break” podcast, Brenda Mascoso breaks down how 2025 delivered record-low accident rates, including major declines in derailments, track-caused incidents, equipment-caused accidents, and human-factor accidents. That progress did not happen by accident. It came from sustained private investment, new technology, better infrastructure, and continuous operational improvements across the freight rail network. Learn More → ow.ly/lLsE50Z0hyg

🎉🚂 Our big secret, (or three) is out! BNSF is proud to unveil today three specially painted locomotives honoring America’s 250th birthday, units 250, 1776 and 2026, wrapped in red, white, and blue and carrying the spirit of “We the People.” These locomotives pay tribute to our nation’s story and the railroaders who’ve helped shape it for nearly two centuries. They’ll be traveling our 32,500‑mile network, celebrating the communities we serve, our rich history and the people who keep America moving. Here’s to 250 years of freedom, connection and the railroad that helped build it. News release at tinyurl.com/5ew4p8md.

24 of our rail-served industrial sites now have REDI Sites designations: bit.ly/4uc7JNq REDI (Ready for Economic Development Investment) means a site has been vetted for what matters most— infrastructure, utilities, transportation access, and workforce readiness. In partnership with the Site Selectors Guild, these sites meet a national standard that helps companies move faster and with greater confidence. That readiness makes a difference. When companies are evaluating locations, speed, certainty, and connectivity are critical. Rail-served REDI Sites deliver on all three. Our REDI Site pipeline is growing, and so is the opportunity for our customers and the customers we serve.

The House has passed the bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) — a meaningful step toward strengthening America’s supply chains and freight rail network. 🚆🎉 Organized cargo theft continues to disrupt the flow of goods nationwide, with more than 75,000 reported incidents and approximately $200 million in losses in 2025 alone. CORCA improves coordination across agencies and equips law enforcement with stronger tools to take on organized theft and keep freight moving safely and efficiently. Now it’s time for the Senate to act.

🇺🇸250 The U.S. Transcontinental Railroad, the first to connect the country by rail, was completed in which state:

Thank you @SenRogerVictory for advocating so fiercely for a strong freight rail network in Michigan and across the U.S.! 🛤️💪

New polling from Michigan’s 8th Congressional District shows overwhelming opposition to proposals in Congress that would allow heavier trucks on our roads. 74% of voters oppose increasing truck weights from 80,000 to 91,000 pounds, and 72% oppose a pilot program to test heavier trucks on highways with the motoring public. Michigan already deals with some of the heaviest trucks in the nation. Dramatically increasing the number of heavier trucks would mean more road damage, more bridge stress, and more severe crashes. As Clio Police Chief Wendel Millstead writes: “Every additional pound in a crash means more force.” Congress should listen to the public and reject proposals for bigger trucks. ourmidland.com/opinion/voices…

Communities across the country are working to improve railroad crossing safety — but navigating federal funding opportunities can be complicated. In our recent webinar, @USDOTFRA experts broke down the Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE), or the Crossing Safety Program, including what projects are eligible, what makes a strong application, and why this funding opportunity matters for local communities. More than $1.1 billion is currently available through the program, with applications due June 8. Read the key takeaways from the webinar here: gorail.org/funding-opport…

Train accident rates down 14%. Derailments at all-time lows. Human factors incidents down nearly 20%. 2025 was a record-setting year for freight rail safety according to the FRA. AAR's Brenda Moscoso on what's behind the numbers in Episode 1 of Coffee Break. Full episode — link in comments.

Cargo theft is skyrocketing — and Congress is voting THIS WEEK on a bipartisan solution. In 2025 alone, U.S. railroads reported: 🚨 75,000+ cargo theft incidents 🚨 Nearly $200 million in losses 🚨 All leading to higher costs and supply chain delays impacting businesses and consumers nationwide The bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) would strengthen coordination between law enforcement agencies and give investigators better tools to crack down on organized theft rings targeting freight shipments. Tell your representatives in the U.S. House to support stronger supply chain security and tougher enforcement against organized cargo theft. Take action: bit.ly/PassCORCA

Happy #NationalTrainDay! Today we’re celebrating the trains that keep America moving — delivering goods, supporting jobs, easing traffic on our highways, and connecting communities coast to coast. Here’s to the locomotives, crews, and innovation powering freight rail every day. 🚆

Diesel costs are up across transportation modes— but freight rail's scale means it can absorb economic shocks better than other modes and keep costs manageable for American agriculture. AAR CEO Ian Jefferies on @AgWebEditor with Chip Flory. Listen now—link in comments.

A Michigan police chief is warning Congress about the dangers of heavier trucks. In a new guest commentary, Charlotte Police Chief Paul Brentar writes: “Heavier trucks are harder to control and maneuver, particularly in emergency situations and during bad weather.” Michigan saw more than 5,400 large-truck crashes in 2023 alone. Law enforcement and first responders understand the risks firsthand. Congress should listen. hollandsentinel.com/story/opinion/…

And it doesn’t stop there. Heavier trucks don’t reduce congestion—they increase it. They also pull freight off rail, shifting millions of loads onto already crowded highways. The result: more traffic, more emissions, and higher infrastructure costs. If the goal is efficiency, the answer is clear—keep freight on rail.

Heavier trucks sound like efficiency. They’re not. At 91,000 lbs, these trucks would do significantly more damage to roads and bridges—while covering only about half the cost of that damage. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of local bridges across the country aren’t built to handle the weight. More strain. More repairs. More taxpayer burden. @NoBiggerTrucks

Big news for East Coast #freight! The Howard Street Tunnel is open for double-stack #Intermodal #FreightRail service through #Baltimore, boosting efficiency on the I-95 corridor & speeding Midwest-Baltimore transit. THANKS to our #CSX team, the @portofbalt, & all our partners!

NCL and @Protectaxpayers are leading a 27-org coalition urging Congress: don't let heavier trucks on our roads. Bigger trucks = more damage to roads and bridges, higher costs for taxpayers, and more dangerous highways. 📄 Read the letter: ow.ly/VYZS50YR5rk

Our state director, Mike, was on the ground yesterday in Harrisburg sharing the benefits of freight rail with Pennsylvania state leaders. With over 5,000 freight track miles, the Keystone State depends on rail!