OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific’s first-quarter profit crept 1% higher as the railroad tightened up on expenses — particularly its fuel bill — even though it delivered slightly less freight.

Norfolk Southern’s first-quarter earnings report gave the railroad the opportunity to publicly defend CEO Alan Shaw’s strategy again before investors decide on May 9 whether to back him.

CSX’s first-quarter profit slipped 10% even though the railroad delivered 3% more goods, as the mix of shipments it handled shifted toward less profitable items.

Norfolk Southern has agreed to pay $600 million in a class-action lawsuit settlement related to a fiery train derailment in February 2023 in eastern Ohio.

Major freight railroads will have to maintain two-person crews on most routes under a new federal rule that was finalized April 2.

The patchwork system of safety regulations pertaining to cargo ships like the one that toppled a major bridge in Baltimore can allow freight transporters to skirt oversight, critics say.

The collision of three Norfolk Southern trains in Pennsylvania early this month highlights the shortcomings of the automated braking system that was created to prevent such crashes.

OMAHA, Neb. — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has reiterated his concerns about railroad safety and scolded the industry for not doing more to improve.

Norfolk Southern alone will be responsible for paying for the cleanup after last year’s fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio, a federal judge ruled.

The latest rail layoffs, combined with an investment fund’s ongoing campaign for control of Norfolk Southern, are renewing concerns about the effects cuts might have on safety and service.