BAD BOYS – The Signal – 7/4/25
KNOW THE SIGN
ICYMI, last week was Operation Lifesaver, Inc.’s (OLI’s) Emergency Notification System (ENS) Sign Awareness Day.
Andy Elkins, an AAR railroad safety expert with past appearances on the TV show Cops, shares a powerful reminder about the critical importance of grade crossing safety.
In the video above, he revisits a dramatic episode where a woman’s car becomes stuck on the tracks—and explains how the blue ENS sign can be the difference between a close call and a tragedy.
(Oh, and did you get the reference in this Signal’s subject line? It was the iconic intro to Cops😊 )
Hopefully you’re reading this Signal while lounging poolside or flipping burgers in the backyard. As you soak up the sun, don’t forget freight railroads are quietly doing the heavy lifting behind the holiday—hauling everything from the hot dogs on your grill to the chlorine in your pool. Even the plastic flamingos and floaties had a rail journey of their own. Just for fun, did you know:
West Virginia leads the nation in hot dog consumption per capita, with residents averaging 481 hot dogs per person annually—more than one per day. The state even has an iconic West Virginia-style hot dog, which features chili, mustard, onions, and coleslaw.
California takes the crown for eating (and making) the most ice cream. It’s the birthplace of the hot fudge sundae and home to a record-breaking 12-foot, 5,000-pound sundae.
Florida leads the nation in the number of residential swimming pools, boasting approximately 1.59 million pools statewide. Given how hot it can get, year-round pools are a common feature in many homes.
Check out our States page to see what freight railroads move nationwide.
EXPERT INPUT: So regulators can just make rules by gut instinct now?
In a recent column syndicated nationwide, economist Veronique de Rugy takes aim at a federal rule that would mandate two-person crews on freight trains—a regulation currently being challenged in court. She highlights the importance of data-driven decision-making in transportation policy—and the real-world risks of politics overriding proven safety practices and innovation.
De Rugy outlines the broader consequences of rulemaking driven not by evidence or safety data, but by what regulators call “common sense.” Her op-ed explores why this standard sets a dangerous precedent not just for rail, but for the entire U.S. regulatory system.
“If ‘common sense’ is the new legal standard, then anything goes,” she writes.
INDUSTRY READS
Logistics Management
Intermodal volumes seen a slight annual May gain, reports IANA
Bloomberg Law
Shippers Offered No Evidence of Railroad Collusion, Judge Says
Trains
STB aims to check more items off its to-do list
Broyles named interim CEO of R.J. Corman Railroad Group
National Review
The Cost of ‘Common Sense’ (Opinion)
