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Join the nationwide movement


Become a Rail Champion to declare that rail is essential—and that our public officials should prioritize a robust U.S. rail network.
Join Us
27k+
Rail Champions
Across America
5.3k
Cities
Represented
5.8k
Counties
Represented
Why are you a Rail Champion?
Rail Champions appreciate rail for reasons as diverse as engineering and efficiency to economic development and to the role of trains in the American story. Many Rail Champions value how rail relieves congestion and taxpayer burden while also lowering prices for consumers. Or they may just like to watch a train roll by, seeing the economy steadily in motion.
I'm a Rail Champion because my father's legacy, the Staggers Rail Act, transformed American railroads into the backbone of our economy. His vision of a strong, interconnected rail system continues to drive progress and prosperity for communities across the nation.
Dr. Margaret Staggers Daughter of Staggers Rail Act author U.S. Rep. Harley Staggers of West Virginia,
and former West Virginia state delegate
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Why are you a Rail Champion?

Join us in declaring that trains are essential.
Together, we can make a real difference.
Join Us
LEARN
Rail 101
Here are some reasons to champion rail.

Explore how U.S. railroads drive the economy, support jobs, and move goods efficiently and sustainably, all while partnering with passenger services to keep America moving.

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Visual Toolkit

Download & Share
This download provides helpful assets to amplify your support for freight rail. Use these graphics and logos to engage your network, raise awareness, and show why rail matters for America.

DOWNLOAD (316)Rail Champion Visual ToolkitFILE SIZE: 4.58 MB

Network

Network

More than 630 Class I and short line railroads operate across 140,000 track-miles in the U.S. The six Class I railroads are the largest carriers, traversing 49 states and the District of Columbia.

Spending

Spending

Freight railroads have spent more than $780 billion on locomotives, freight cars, tracks, bridges, tunnels and other equipment and technology since 1980. This equates to 39 cents of every dollar earned.

Workforce

Workforce

Approximately 85% of the 115,000 Class I railroad employees are unionized, earning an average annual compensation of over $135,700 in 2020. This ranks within the top 10% of all U.S. industries.

Sustainability

Sustainability

One train can move a ton of freight 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel, on average. Rail moves about 40% of U.S. long-distance freight but accounts for just 1.7% of transportation-related emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Economic Impact

Economic Impact

Class I railroads supported over 1.1 million jobs and $219 billion in economic output in 2017, according to Towson University’s Regional Economic Studies Institute.

Cost Efficiency

Cost Efficiency

The average rail shipper can move much more freight today for about the same price they paid over 40 years ago. Average U.S. freight rail rates, measured by inflation-adjusted revenue per ton-mile, are 40% lower today than in 1980.

Partner to Passenger

Partner to Passenger

Outside of the Northeast Corridor, Class I-owned tracks host most intercity passenger rail operations and some commuter rail operations. About 70% of Amtrak’s miles-traveled occur on tracks owned by freight railroads.

Supply Chain Workhorse

Supply Chain Workhorse

Together with trucks and barges, freight rail ships 61 tons of goods per American every year. Railroads have long operated 24/7, and a study from the Northwestern University Transportation Center found they were nimble in handling supply-chain disruptions.

Our Mission
Rail Champions is a platform for those who value the contributions of rail to the United States.

Trains help move the goods and people of our nation, increasing competitiveness, lowering costs, and enhancing our communities through emissions and congestion mitigation. Rail Champions gives voice to everyday Americans who believe in the importance of reliable, affordable, and efficient rail transportation. We are a movement of people, like you, across the country championing rail as a net positive to sustainable growth, prosperity, and quality of life.

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