Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2016-2031)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $87.9bn in 2026.
Trends and Insights
Trade activity and elevated domestic production benefited rail providers
- Expanding economic activity and rising trade volumes over the last five years have inherently boosted freight transportation. Railroads maintain higher economies of scale than other modes of transportation. Elevated interest rates in 2023 and 2024 pressured discretionary spending and reduced demand for rail. Subdued spending stifled growth in total trade value and industrial production. This also contributed to lower freight volumes.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2026-2031)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Technological advancements could lead to higher profit
- Railroad companies that invested in more powerful, fuel-efficient or electric locomotives amid low interest rates are expected to benefit from lower operating costs. Rail service providers are expected to reinvest excess capital into services such as intermodal transportation and new tracking software. This will likely enhance compatibility with other modes of transport and improve their competitive standing against trucking companies.
Biggest companies in the Rail Transportation in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2026 | Revenue ($m)
2026 | Profit ($m)
2026 | Profit Margin (%)
2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Union Pacific Corp | 24,404.1 | 10,332.0 | 42.3 | |
Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Llc | 23,181.6 | 8,198.8 | 35.4 | |
Csx Corporation | 13,723.8 | 4,439.2 | 32.3 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Bulk freight, Intermodal services and Passenger services. Bulk freight is the largest segment of the Rail Transportation in the US.
Trends and Insights
Intermodal shipping volumes will likely continue to depend on consumer spending
- Intermodal transportation connects different modes of transportation at a terminal. Goods are transferred from Class I railways to last-mile delivery options, such as short lines, trucks and inland waterways. Intermodal containers also enable carriers to exchange cargo without unloading the container. This improves supply chain efficiency and reduces dwell times at terminals.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The Rail Transportation industry is made up of companies that operate rail lines across the United States. This includes large railroad operators (i.e. Class 1 railroads) and regional and local line-haul rail companies that transport freight and passengers. The industry does not include scenic and sightseeing rail transportation, street railroads, commuter rail or rapid transit.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States include Intermodal transport, Bulk transport and Passenger transport.Companies
Companies covered in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States include Union Pacific Corp, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Llc and Csx Corporation.Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States include intermodal transport, class 1 railroad, fuel surcharge, rolling stock, line-haul railroad, bulk freight, dwell, gross ton-miles and revenue ton-miles.Industry Code
NAICS 48211 - Rail Transportation in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Railroads adopted precision scheduled railroading (PSR) to reduce deadhead miles and operate on fixed schedules. PSR contributed to lower fuel costs and greater profit. Still...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
- Employees, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
- Businesses, including historical (2016-2025) and forecast (2026-2031)
- Profit, including historical (2016-2026)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Intermodal shipping depends heavily on consumer spending and tariff-related frontloading. Volumes increased year-to-date by the end of 2025 because of early-year import surge...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2026
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2026
- Major market segmentation in 2026
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The Southeast capitalizes on Sun Belt growth and expanding export corridors. Major ports such as Southern Louisiana, Savannah and Brunswick boost trade activity. At the same ...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2026
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2026
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2026
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2026
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2026
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
The 2023 CPKC merger enhanced competitive advantage as the fifth-largest US railroad. This combined infrastructure and economies of scale. Still, regulators imposed a seven-y...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2021-2026
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
BNSF invested $3.92 billion in 2024 to maintain and expand its network. Investments aim to enhance operational efficiency and support the handling of freight shipment volatil...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2022 through 2026
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2026
- Overview of Union Pacific Corp's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2020 through 2026
- Overview of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Llc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2020 through 2026
- Overview of Csx Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2020 through 2026
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Union Pacific Corp, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Llc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Csx Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Diesel prices, trade value and industrial production drive rail demand volatility. Elevated diesel prices in 2025 deterred the adoption of alternative transportation modes. S...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2016-2031)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2016-2031)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Higher volumes and infrastructure investments are pushing profit higher despite competition. Railroads benefit from long-term contracts and predictive analytics. Profit climb...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2026
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2026
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2019-2024)
- Industry Tax Structure (2019-2024)
- Income Statement (2019-2024)
- Balance Sheet (2019-2024)
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2024)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2024)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2024)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2024)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2016-2031)
- Revenue per Employee (2016-2031)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2016-2031)
- Employees per Establishment (2016-2031)
- Employees per Enterprise (2016-2031)
- Average Wage (2016-2031)
- Wages/Revenue (2016-2031)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2016-2031)
- IVA/Revenue (2016-2031)
- Imports/Demand (2016-2031)
- Exports/Revenue (2016-2031)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2016-2031)
- IVA (2016-2031)
- Establishments (2016-2031)
- Enterprises (2016-2031)
- Employment (2016-2031)
- Exports (2016-2031)
- Imports (2016-2031)
- Wages (2016-2031)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Rail Transportation industry in the United States in 2026?
The market size of the Rail Transportation industry in the United States is $87.9bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States in 2026?
There are 624 businesses in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Rail Transportation industry in the United States?
The Rail Transportation industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Rail Transportation industry in the United States?
The Rail Transportation industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Rail Transportation industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Rail Transportation industry in the United States has been declining at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Rail Transportation industry in the United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Rail Transportation industry in the United States is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States?
The biggest companies operating in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States are Union Pacific Corp, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Llc and Csx Corporation
What does the Rail Transportation industry in the United States include?
Intermodal transport and Bulk transport are part of the Rail Transportation industry in the United States.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States?
The company holding the most market share in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States is Union Pacific Corp.
How competitive is the Rail Transportation industry in the United States?
The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Rail Transportation industry in the United States.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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