From the Editor: — 21 from '21: Our most-read news stories last year

By Pat Foran, Editor

Last year, coronavirus-related coverage dominated the headlines, even in rail country. And COVID-19 continues to remind us it’s something we’ll be contending with — and, in our case, writing about — for some time.

Union Pacific Railroad’s federal lawsuit over unions’ objections to a vaccine requirement was by far the most-read story on ProgressiveRailroading.com’s Daily News in 2021.

The rest of the highly clicked-on stories were more traditional, rail-news wise: two proposed Class I mergers, Amtrak (anything Amtrak), high-speed rail (always of interest to a subset of our audience) and BNSF Railway Co. (a privately held Class I that doesn’t issue press releases often).

As it wends its way through the regulatory process, the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern combination will continue to generate news this year, albeit less. Amtrak? The national passenger railroad is always a topic of conversation among some of our most engaged readers, and it’ll continue to be talked about (and read) in the year ahead.

RailPrime, our digital subscription information offering dedicated to all things freight transportation, is home to the lion’s share of our originally reported coverage — “our” being Progressive Railroading magazine, Progressive Railroading.com Daily News and RailPrime. But we’ll continue to post CP-KCS, Amtrak and other news of the day based on press statements and other sources via our Daily News.

Here are 21 from 2021 — the ProgressiveRailroading.com Daily News stories our readers clicked on most often last year (in case you missed them, or if you want to read them again):

1. “UP files federal suit over unions’ objections to vaccine requirement” (10/18/2021)
2. “Merger update: CP critiques CN plan to divest KCS line; unions file concerns” (5/27/21)
3. “Amtrak comments on NEC privatization proposal” (3/8/21)
4. “Texas Central signs $1.6B pact with Kiewit for bullet train electric system installation” (5/4/21)
5. “CN, Watco agree on sale of rail lines in Ontario, Wisconsin and Michigan” (3/30/21)
6. “BNSF budgets nearly $3 billion for 2021 capex” (1/21/21)
7. “NS concerns over CSX-Pan Am deal resolved” (3/23/21)
8. “Lawmakers propose permanent funding for Amtrak” (3/29/21)
9. “AmeriStarRail proposes privatizing Amtrak NEC service” (3/5/21)
10. “BNSF to serve new canola processing facility in Saskatchewan” (5/25/21)
11. “CN makes ‘superior’ offer to acquire Kansas City Southern” (4/20/21)
12. “Virginia governor calls for $50 million in general funds to expand Amtrak service” (2/16/21)
13. “OSHA: CSX to pay, reinstate whistleblowers” (9/1/21)
14. “Amtrak restores Hiawatha service, selects Siemens to build intercity trainsets” (4/22/21)
15. “Midwest mayors seek extension of Amtrak Hiawatha route” (4/16/21)
16. “Texas counties sue FRA over Dallas-to-Houston bullet train project” (4/19/21)
17. “CSX, NS ask STB to dismiss Amtrak case” (4/8/21)
18. “Merger mayhem: CN ups KCS offer; CP seeks to respond” (5/14/21)
19. “Brightline on track to begin Las Vegas high-speed rail project” (4/14/21)
20. “BNSF, Wabtec begin testing battery-electric locomotive” (1/5/21)
21. “KCS declares CP proposal ‘superior,’ will terminate CN deal” (9/12/21)