Many North American freight and passenger railroads expect to complete more maintenance-of-way work this year, and more than half of the roads that responded to our annual MOW Spending Report survey will spend more on that work in 2023, as Managing Editor Jeff Stagl reports this month. Based on our exclusive survey and other available information, the 22nd annual MOW Spending Report breaks down the spending plans of nearly five dozen freight and passenger roads. With few exceptions, the big(ger) spenders' increases were modest. Higher material (among other) costs continue to put a damper on things in every industry. But rail, particularly the Class I contingent, can't afford to cut back on track upkeep. Capacity spending? Yes. Some years. But I can't foresee major roads spending less on track maintenance. Given the heightened-bordering-on-intense interest in rail the past couple of months, I think some may well spend even more this year than they expected to when they crafted their '23 budgets.
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