In this episode Joseph Towers opens the year with a comprehensive review of full-year 2025 rail traffic, highlighting modest overall growth driven by grains and coal, continued softness in industrial commodities such as metals and forest products, and a largely flat outlook for motor vehicles heading into 2026. He then walks through the latest procedural developments surrounding the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger, outlining what remains in the Surface Transportation Board review process and the likely timeline for a decision. The episode closes with an overview of the STB’s new proposal to eliminate Part 1144, a move aimed at easing access to reciprocal switching and increasing rail competition, setting up key regulatory and market themes to watch as 2026 unfolds.

The Rail Market Update is hosted by FTR’s Senior Analyst, Rail, Joseph Towers.  As this information is presented, you are welcome to follow along and look at the graphs and indicators yourself by downloading the PDF of the presentation.

Download the PDF: https://www.ftrintel.com/rail-podcast 

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