Even as railroads are operating longer freight trains that sometimes stretch for miles, the companies have drastically reduced staffing levels, prompting unions to warn that moves meant to increase profits could endanger safety and even result in disasters.
More than 22% of the jobs at railroads Union Pacific Corp., CSX and Norfolk Southern Corp. have been eliminated since 2017, when CSX implemented a cost-cutting system called precision scheduled railroading that most other U.S. railroads later copied. BNSF, the largest U.S. railroad and the only one that hasn’t expressly adopted that model, still has made staff cuts to improve efficiency and remain competitive.
