Railroads helped grow our nation, supporting settlement and economic growth from coast to coast. Today, the rail industry plays a central role in the most efficient freight and logistics system in the world. The 7 national, Class I railroads are well-known to most of us, but less visible yet no less significant in the U.S. freight industry are about 600 short line and regional railroads that make the connections directly to customers. To learn about the role of these smaller railroads, we’re talking with Henry Posner III, who is Chairman of the Iowa Interstate Railroad and President of the Rail Development Corporation, a holding company with ownership and operating interests in railroads in the U.S., the Americas, and Europe.
Railroads helped grow our nation, supporting settlement and economic growth from coast to coast. Today, the rail industry plays a central role in the most efficient freight and logistics system in the world. The 7 national, Class I railroads are