Railroads connect the country. In fact, the US has enough miles of freight rail to circle the earth 5.6 times.
“Our freight railroads are the most productive and cost effective in the world,” said Lydia Underdahl, executive director of public affairs at BNSF Railway, Minnesota’s largest railroad. “We’re crucial for shippers for nearly every sector of the US economy.”
Underdahl, along with Mark Wegner, CEO of Twin Cities and Western Railroad and president of the Minnesota Regional Railroads Association, gave an overview of freight rail at a March 20 “Freight 101” webinar—one in a series of offerings as part of CTS’s 2025 "Unpacking Freight: From Producers to Front Doors” programming.
Freight rail accounts for almost 40 percent of the country’s long-distance ton-miles—more than any other transportation mode. A snapshot of the national rail system includes the following highlights:
- Six large Class 1 railroad systems
- 621 non-Class 1 railroads (short line and regional railroads)
- More than 135,000 route miles
- 28,000 locomotives
- 1.6 million railcars
- 3.3 billion gallons of fuel consumed annually
- 140,000 employees
- 27 million carloads and intermodal units shipped
Railroads are highly efficient in moving large loads of freight, resulting in the lowest greenhouse gas emissions of land-based freight transportation. Privately owned and heavily regulated, railroads continue to invest in current and emerging technologies with the aim of improving safety and operations, Underdahl and Wegner explained. In 2024, the overall train accident rate had declined 33 percent since 2005 and 15 percent year-over-year. And a dollar invested in rail infrastructure translates to $2.50 in total economic activity.
“Railroads invest about $23 billion annually just to maintain their high-capacity network that drives economic growth,” Wegner said. “As we look toward the future, a strong rail industry is essential to keeping the US competitive, resilient, and vibrant—a key pillar in America’s economic success.”
View Freight 101: Rail webinar video and presentation materials
How much do you know about Minnesota freight rail? Take this quick quiz!
More in the series
CTS and its partners are hosting several additional webinars in the Freight 101 series, including:
Past Freight 101 webinars:
- Minnesota State Freight Plan (take the online quiz!)
- Maritime Freight (take the online quiz!)
- Aviation (take the online quiz!)
Learn more about CTS's "Unpacking Freight" theme and check out the latest research and resources about freight in Minnesota.
—Darlene Gorrill, contributing writer
