This is a human issue.

A new InvestigateTV report highlights the surge in cargo theft across the U.S., which is costing the supply chain billions and straining law enforcement. In the video above, AAR CEO Ian Jefferies emphasizes the need for centralized data to better target theft hotspots.

With arrests rare and repeat offenders common, railroads are calling for a coordinated federal response, including support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), tougher state penalties, and funding for dedicated prosecutors.

CSX reopens Blue Ridge Subdivision.

CSX’s Blue Ridge Subdivision has reopened after a $450 million rebuild following Hurricane Helene, which damaged nearly 60 miles of track in Tennessee and North Carolina.

CSX worked closely with federal and state agencies to restore the route, which moves 14 million gross tons of freight annually. The first revenue train ran last weekend and an official reopening ceremony is planned for next week.

Check out videos and more detailed information on the restoration process here.

EXPERT INPUT: The Unholy Alliance Keeping Safer Tech Off the Rails

Patrick A. McLaughlin, PhD—economist and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution—published a new op-ed in DC Journal on the influence of labor on DOT and FRA policy. He argues that outdated regulations and political resistance are stifling innovation in American rail—particularly safety-enhancing technologies like automated track inspection (ATI).

“Technological progress is the ally of safety and prosperity,” he says. “When regulators and unions link arms to defend the past against better tools, they don’t just slow innovation, they keep risk higher than it needs to be. We can do better by measuring what matters, trusting results over rituals, and clearing lingering red tape that keeps safer systems stuck on the siding.”

Canadian National expands its firefighting train fleet.

Canadian National is turning up the heat on wildfire defense by expanding its firefighting train fleet. Two new 25,000-gallon trains—Oceanus and Amphitrite—have joined the mythically named Neptune, Trident, and Poseidon trains, whose capacities were more than doubled after protecting CN’s infrastructure and assisting emergency efforts in hard-to-reach areas during last year’s Jasper, Alberta wildfires.

Additionally, eight 30,000-gallon tank cars are now stationed in water-scarce regions of British Columbia, and CN is testing a new pilot program of nimble 350-gallon fire trailers for rapid right-of-way response.

In the image above, Canadian National’s Poseidon firefighting train is at work in Alberta.

Freight railroads are officially part of the cool kids.

Freight railroads have been on the edge of new technologies for decades. Some of that work is now being recognized alongside AI big hitters, from Google to Canva design software.

Norfolk Southern’s Digital Train Inspection portals received an honorable mention in Fast Company’s 2025 Innovation by Design Awards, marking the first time a railroad has been recognized.

Developed with Georgia Tech, the AI-powered system uses high-resolution imaging and machine vision to scan trains at speeds up to 70 mph, enabling earlier, more accurate defect detection and enhancing rail safety.

INDUSTRY READS

FreightWaves
DOT launching crackdown on cargo theft

RT&S
Rail Talk: BNSF Supports Communities Working To Improve Safety at Rail Crossings

Logistics Management
Freight shipments and expenditures see declines in August, reports Cass Freight Index

Progressive Railroading
Local, state leaders call on Congress to support federal investment in freight rail