• Latest
  • Trending
Rail Freight in the US Faces Gridlock as Intermodal Surge Collides with Aging Infrastructure

Rail Freight in the US Faces Gridlock as Intermodal Surge Collides with Aging Infrastructure

May 7, 2025
Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico Fast-Track Regional Freight Agreements

Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico Fast-Track Regional Freight Agreements

July 4, 2025
European Rail Freight Gathers Pace as Transit Times Improve in Poland

European Rail Freight Gathers Pace as Transit Times Improve in Poland

July 4, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Freight Delays Mount at Toronto Pearson After Two Days of Storm Disruptions

Freight Delays Mount at Toronto Pearson After Two Days of Storm Disruptions

July 4, 2025
HIVED Secures $42M to Bring Greener Deliveries to More UK Cities

HIVED Secures $42M to Bring Greener Deliveries to More UK Cities

July 4, 2025
Europe’s Trucking Sector Suffers Trade‑War Blow, U.S. Demand Slumps 4% in May

Europe’s Trucking Sector Suffers Trade‑War Blow, U.S. Demand Slumps 4% in May

July 4, 2025
Singapore Port Backs Up as Ship Arrivals Spike Unexpectedly

Singapore Port Backs Up as Ship Arrivals Spike Unexpectedly

July 4, 2025
U.S.–Vietnam Trade Pact Triggers Supply Chain Reactions Across Asia

U.S.–Vietnam Trade Pact Triggers Supply Chain Reactions Across Asia

July 4, 2025
Air Cargo Volumes Rise 2.2% in May as Global Supply Chains Lean on Speed

Air Cargo Volumes Rise 2.2% in May as Global Supply Chains Lean on Speed

July 4, 2025
Moselle Lock Breakdown Halts River Freight, Sparking Supply Chain Disruptions Across Western Europe

Moselle Lock Breakdown Halts River Freight, Sparking Supply Chain Disruptions Across Western Europe

July 4, 2025
Decathlon Introduces Circular Logistics Model to Cut Emissions and Waste

Decathlon Introduces Circular Logistics Model to Cut Emissions and Waste

July 3, 2025
Kenya’s Lamu Corridor Moves Into the Spotlight as Cargo Shifts North

Kenya’s Lamu Corridor Moves Into the Spotlight as Cargo Shifts North

July 2, 2025
Germany Commits €4 Billion to Rail Freight Modernization Amid Growing Delays

Germany Commits €4 Billion to Rail Freight Modernization Amid Growing Delays

July 2, 2025
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Press Room
  • Podcasts
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
The Logistic News
  • Logistic
  • Air
  • Maritime
  • Land
  • World
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Events
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • Logistic
  • Air
  • Maritime
  • Land
  • World
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Events
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
The Logistic News
No Result
View All Result
Home Land

Rail Freight in the US Faces Gridlock as Intermodal Surge Collides with Aging Infrastructure

Rail Freight in the US Faces Gridlock as Intermodal Surge Collides with Aging Infrastructure

The Logistic News by The Logistic News
May 7, 2025
in Land, Logistic
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Rail Freight in the US Faces Gridlock as Intermodal Surge Collides with Aging Infrastructure
ADVERTISEMENT

By Maria Kalamatas | May 7, 2025

Chicago, USA —
As U.S. import volumes rebound sharply in early 2025, the country’s rail freight system is buckling under a renewed intermodal surge, exposing the vulnerabilities of an aging infrastructure and strained cross-terminal coordination.

According to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), intermodal rail traffic jumped 11.3% year-on-year in Q1—driven by restocking demand, nearshoring from Mexico, and coastal port diversions from the West Coast to the Gulf and East.

ADVERTISEMENT

But the speed of the surge has outpaced investment.

“Right now, we have more containers than track space,” said Ron Peterson, Senior Director of Rail Strategy at InlandGate Logistics. “What’s missing isn’t just capacity—it’s coordination.”

Chicago, again, becomes the choke point

Chicago’s rail yards—long considered the crossroads of American freight—are now the epicenter of the bottleneck. Dwell times in key intermodal terminals such as Cicero and Bedford Park have exceeded 5.7 days on average, nearly double the pre-pandemic norm.

“Every day of delay adds cost, weakens shelf availability, and throws off delivery promises,” said Elaine Carter, Retail Logistics Lead at CosmoChain, a national distributor of electronics and home goods.

Class I railroads face criticism over service model

Critics argue that the industry’s heavy reliance on Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has stripped networks of flexibility. With reduced headcounts and leaner service patterns, railroads are now struggling to handle volume swings.

“We streamlined ourselves into a corner,” admitted one anonymous executive at a Class I railroad. “Now we’re trying to scale without the labor force or siding availability to support it.”

Shippers pivot to short-line partnerships and hybrid models

Faced with unpredictable transits, some freight forwarders are opting for rail-truck hybrid models and forging direct partnerships with short-line operators to bypass congested corridors.

In Texas, CargoLink Logistics has launched a cross-dock system in Laredo to offload containers directly onto regional rail—cutting reliance on traditional hubs.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s better than waiting in a queue in Chicago,” said Pablo Rojas, CargoLink’s Head of Intermodal Services.

Policy change ahead?

There is increasing pressure on the U.S. Department of Transportation to fast-track rail infrastructure funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, especially for chokepoints in Illinois, New Jersey, and Georgia.

“Growth is great—but without a freight modernization strategy, we’re accelerating toward gridlock,” warned Professor Lila Morgan, transport economist at the University of Minnesota.

Previous Post

Jet Fuel Turbulence: How Rising Costs and Green Mandates Are Reshaping Air Cargo in 2025

Next Post

From Blockchain to Buy-In: Why Logistics Tech Still Needs Human Trust

Next Post
From Blockchain to Buy-In: Why Logistics Tech Still Needs Human Trust

From Blockchain to Buy-In: Why Logistics Tech Still Needs Human Trust

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Popular News

  • Drone Delivery Takes Flight: Amazon Partners with UPS for Trial Program

    Drone Delivery Takes Flight: Amazon Partners with UPS for Trial Program

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Rail Cargo Group Strengthens European Network with Captrain Netherlands Acquisition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Automotive Inbound Logistics Market: Navigating Future Challenges

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Global Inflation Cools to Target After Three Years, Central Banks Face Policy Dilemma

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Dubai Mercantile Exchange Rebrands as Gulf Mercantile Exchange Following Saudi Tadawul Group Acquisition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Recent News

Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico Fast-Track Regional Freight Agreements

Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico Fast-Track Regional Freight Agreements

July 4, 2025
European Rail Freight Gathers Pace as Transit Times Improve in Poland

European Rail Freight Gathers Pace as Transit Times Improve in Poland

July 4, 2025
Freight Delays Mount at Toronto Pearson After Two Days of Storm Disruptions

Freight Delays Mount at Toronto Pearson After Two Days of Storm Disruptions

July 4, 2025

Discover a new era of logistics reporting with The Logistic News, your go-to platform for breaking news, insightful features, and exclusive interviews shaping the global logistics and freight landscape. Trust us to deliver accurate, timely, and relevant information that empowers professionals and enthusiasts alike in navigating the intricacies of this vital sector.

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Press Room
  • Podcasts
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

© 2024 - thelogisticnews.com

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

SIgn Up Newsletter

This will close in 20 seconds

Manage Cookie Consent
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Logistic
  • Air
  • Maritime
  • Land
  • World
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Events
  • Advertise

© 2024 - thelogisticnews.com