From the Editor - 24 for 2024: Our most-read Daily News stories from last year

A proxy fight, safety-related regulatory proposals and incidents, and Class I C-suite changes made freight-rail realm headlines during the 12 months that ended Dec. 31, 2024, including on ProgressiveRailroading.com’s Daily News.

Stories involving Norfolk Southern Corp. were among the most-read (clicked-on) stories of 2024. Ten of the top 24 stories put NS front and center — particularly news in the year’s first half surrounding Ancora Holdings Group LLC’s attempt to replace the majority of NS’ board as well as President and CEO Alan Shaw. Ancora didn’t entirely succeed, but Shaw would be fired for a different reason in September (see story #7).

Class I news, in general, caught our readers’ attention last year: 20 of the top 24 stories pertained to North America’s six largest railroads. Meanwhile, rail safety remained a top industry priority in ‘24, as coverage of accident investigations and safety-related regulatory proposals garnered their share of attention.

Here are the most-read Daily News stories of 2024:

1. “STB Chair Oberman: NS takeover could be a ‘huge detriment’ to the rail industry” (2/23/24)
2. “Norfolk Southern: Ancora’s union deal violates Railway Labor Act” (4/29/24)
3. “FRA shuts down Oklahoma railroad” (2/7/24)
4. “Litigation costs impact BNSF’s Q2 net income” (8/5/24)
5. “Former CSX CEO Jim Foote dies” (4/17/24)
6. “Unions oppose Ancora takeover attempt at Norfolk Southern” (2/28/24)
7. “BREAKING: Norfolk Southern fires Shaw, appoints George president, CEO” (9/12/24)
8. “NS CEO Shaw defends company strategy in letter to employees” (2/21/24)
9. “BREAKING: Norfolk Southern shareholders elect 10 of company’s 13 director nominees” (5/9/24)
10. “FRA, STB leaders raise red flags over UP worker furloughs” (3/1/24)
11. “Hurricane Helene: CSX, Norfolk Southern working on service recovery” (9/30/24)
12. “NTSB: Workers died after entering right of way prior to track closure” (5/29/24)
13. “BNSF transports water to Navajo Nation in New Mexico” (4/4/24)
14. “Ancora outlines path to a 57% OR at Norfolk Southern” (3/26/24)
15. “NTSB issues preliminary report on fatal Brightline crash” (2/12/24)
16. “Norfolk Southern board investigating Shaw for alleged misconduct” (9/9/24)
17. “Republicans introduce bill to nullify FRA’s train-crew rule” (4/26/24)
18. “NTSB investigating fatal train derailment in Texas” (12/20/24)
19. “Oregon port to pursue federal funds for intermodal terminal project” (7/3/24)
20. “Investor group proposes new leaders for Norfolk Southern” (2/20/24)
21. “Union Pacific announces leadership appointments” (7/29/24)
22. “UP to launch direct domestic service between Southern California and Chicago” (4/8/24)
23. “UP announces retirements, executive appointments” (3/25/24)
24. “FRA adopts final rule mandating two-person train crews” (4/2/24)

Bonus list coverage: Check out the most-read stories from 2024 on RailPrime, our digital subscription offering dedicated to all things freight transportation and home to the lion’s share of our originally reported coverage. The RailPrime list features stories about rail culture-related change, projects at rail-served ports, and everything and anything related to Class Is and short lines that RailPrime subscribers couldn’t read anywhere else.