Back to school? We never leave.

No one understands lifelong learning better than freight rail conductors and engineers. Their training begins with months of classroom lessons, simulator training, and hands-on practice in the field.

From there, conductors typically spend years gaining experience before moving up to engineer. And even then, the tests never stop: ongoing exams, safety checks, and recertifications keep skills sharp throughout their careers.

This culture of continuous training is why freight rail remains the safest way to move goods over land.

Remote-Control Locomotives: 20 Years of Safe Yard Operations.

For more than two decades, freight railroads have used Remote-Control Locomotive (RCL) technology to improve safety and efficiency in rail yards. Instead of relaying directions over radio, specially-trained operators control locomotives directly through handheld devices, allowing movement from a safe distance.

RCL is widely accepted across the industry and, according to the FRA, poses “no specific concerns.” Safety is built in with features like automatic shut-offs if an operator falls or becomes inactive. Operators also undergo ongoing recertification and testing.

Rail volumes point to continued supply chain resilience.

Our Policy & Economics team recently published a new Rail Industry Overview (RIO) report, noting that U.S. rail traffic grew modestly in August 2025, with intermodal up 0.5% and carloads up 0.7%—the sixth straight gain—driven by steel, coal, and grain mill products.

Manufacturing stayed weak as the PMI® remained below 50%, though stronger new orders hint at improvement. Job growth slowed sharply to just 22,000 in August, raising concerns about consumer spending, while the services sector continued expanding for a third month.

BNSF will open an OKC terminal for Hobby Lobby.

BNSF is set to open a new 42-acre intermodal terminal in Oklahoma City this November, designed to strengthen Hobby Lobby’s supply chain. The facility will allow containers to move directly from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Hobby Lobby distribution centers, cutting out intermediate steps.

By shifting freight from highways to rail, the terminal could eliminate as many as 40,000 truck trips each year—improving efficiency, reducing congestion, and easing wear on regional roads.

Although initially built to serve Hobby Lobby’s operations, the terminal will also create future opportunities for Oklahoma farmers and other local businesses by providing streamlined access to West Coast export markets.

September 15-21 is See Tracks? Think Train® Week, an annual week dedicated to preventing crossing and trespass incidents on rail tracks. First launched in 2017 as Rail Safety Week, the effort unites Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI), state programs, and rail safety partners across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Expert Input: The Hidden Costs of Trucking Subsidies

University of Dayton Professor Michael Gorman, writing for the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, highlights how federal policy tilts the playing field in freight transportation. His analysis finds that trucking benefits from substantial public subsidies—fueling congestion, emissions, and highway accidents—while freight railroads largely fund their own 150,000-mile network with $23 billion in private investment each year.

He recommends replacing the diesel tax with a truck VMT fee, easing unnecessary rail regulations, and prioritizing multimodal strategies like intermodal rail to cut truck traffic in urban corridors.

Read his full analysis.

Upcoming Event: DC Freight Rail Outlook

Rail Champions enjoy exclusive access to webinars and updates that put them right in the middle of today’s rail policy discussions. We talked to our friends at GoRail and they were happy to open their next webinar to Signal readers.

This session brings together leaders from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Congress, and the rail industry to have a conversation about the future of freight rail. Topics include federal priorities, grant opportunities, and industry innovation—plus a live Q&A to get your questions answered.

Want more access like this? Join the free Rail Champions program to unlock future webinars, get insider updates, and make your voice heard in support of freight rail.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 10
2:00-3:00pm (EDT)

Recent Shopify data show backpacks are one of the hottest back-to-school items. Some are the old-school JanSport classics, while others are tricked out with the latest fad (looking at you, Labubus*).

No matter the style, these backpacks likely share one thing in common: before getting slung kids’ shoulders, they traveled across the country in an intermodal container on America’s freight rail network.

*The economics and psychology of Labubu-mania is fascinating. Check out this WSJ Explainer. Oh, and you found the subject line of this email. 

INDUSTRY READS

AJOT
US trade deficit widens in July on soaring imports

RailwayAge
A Future With Autonomous Trains?

JOC
BNSF, UP kept rail terminals fluid in August amid IPI surge (Premium)

Logistics Management
Looking at the Intermodal market with Larry Gross, President, Gross Transportation Consulting

Eno Transportation Weekly
Supporting Freight in Transportation Reauthorization(Opinion)