December 16, 2025

Did you know today’s modern locomotives pack about 12,500 reindeer power? Seriously, we checked the math with our economists.

That strength, plus massive amounts of private investments each year, keeps America’s freight rail network moving everything from holiday gifts to everyday essentials. In the final Signal of 2025, we’re taking a look at how freight rail delivers big year-round.

Happy Holidays!

The Signal Editors

Freight rail acts as a built-in stabilizer in the U.S. economy.

At a time when transportation costs are increasingly tied to inflation and supply chain stress, rail’s efficiency, predictability, and resilience provide a quiet but powerful buffer for the broader economy.

A new report from AAR’s Policy & Economics team looks at how freight rail contributes to price stability and supply-chain resilience. Here’s the big takeaway:

• A 10% acceleration in trucking cost growth correlates with a 2.3% increase in goods inflation; when rail costs rise at the same pace, the impact is just 0.7%.
• Trucking cost shocks hit consumer prices typically within one to two months; rail cost changes are smaller, slower, and fade faster.

2025 Investment Highlights

BNSF’s new Fort Worth Flight Operations Center takes its drone program to the next level. FAA-compliant BVLOS drones now fly across the network to inventory containers, protect resources, and more. The railroad plans to soon begin 24/7 operations and long-range drone testing.

Norfolk Southern restored freight service to Asheville for the first time since Hurricane Helene, privately investing to rebuild 128 sites and 13 miles of track in six months. Next up: reconstructing the 16-mile Old Fort–Grovestone segment by winter to strengthen regional recovery and supply chains.

BNSF’s new Fort Worth Flight Operations Center takes its drone program to the next level. FAA-compliant BVLOS drones now fly across the network to inventory containers, protect resources, and more. The railroad plans to soon begin 24/7 operations and long-range drone testing.

Americold and CPKC opened a $120M, 335,000-sq-ft Import-Export Hub in Kansas City. This is Americold’s first hub on the CPKC network and a key link for the Mexico Midwest Express. The facility speeds cross-border refrigerated shipments with USDA inspections, heavy-load capacity, and a 300-mile service radius.

Union Pacific helped launch a new hazmat derailment training site at Roseville Fire Training Center, donating seven rail cars for hands-on drills. The site trains 60 firefighters annually and strengthens emergency readiness, complementing UP’s broader safety outreach that reaches more than 6,000 first responders each year.

CN’s Enablon Go app makes safety reporting simple. Employees can log hazards and near misses in real time with photos, GPS, and instant feedback. With more than 4,000 reports so far, the tool is speeding fixes, spotting trends, and strengthening CN’s proactive safety culture

Hey there, it’s Harley from Harley Explains. Let’s take a look back at some of the hottest toys since 2000. From tech crazes to creepy cute creatures, toy trends have changed a lot over the years. One thing has stayed the same, though: freight rail’s role in moving both the finished toys and the materials used to make them.

So what’s the must-have gift for 2025? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you since predictions are all over the map! But two things are certain: trends always come back around (looking at you, Furby), and freight railroads will always be there to deliver.