Did You Know?

Class I Railroad – a railroad with an operating revenue exceeding $378.8 million.  Currently, seven railroads are considered as Class I: Burlington Northern Santa Fe, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.  Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway are also considered Class I’s due to their significant trackage lines in the United States.  

President's signature extends highway & transit programs for seven months

On March 4, President Barack Obama signed into law a measure that extends until Sept. 30 federal highway and transit programs that had been slated to expire that evening. The seven-month extension averts a suspension of reimbursements from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the states for their ongoing surface transportation improvement projects. 

STB to slash shipper-complaint filing fee

In a proposed rulemaking, recently approved by the Surface Transportation Board (STB), the agency is moving to reduce filing fees for shipper complaints to $350 from a current maximum of $20,000. The STB would implement a new fee schedule that would charge shippers $350 to file a rate or unreasonable practice complaint.

Gates increases ownership of Canadian National

Cascade Investment, LLC., whose sole member is Microsoft founder Bill Gates, acquired 35,784 Common Shares of Canadian National Railway Company.  With this purchase, Cascade now holds 37,392,378 shares, representing approximately 8.14 percent of the outstanding shares. 

China proposes Colombia rail link to Rival Panama Canal

China is in negotiations over the construction of a rail link across Colombia to rival the Panama Canal. The 137 mile "dry canal,” linking Colombia's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, would make it easier for China to export goods across Latin America and import raw materials such as coal.

BNSF's capital spending climbs to a Class I-high $3.5 billion

On February 7, BNSF Railway Co. announced it has budgeted $3.5 billion for 2011 capital expenditures — the largest capex budget among the Class Is this year. In 2010, the Class I budgeted $2.6 billion.