CSX takes top spot on Soy Transportation Coalition's annual Railroad Report Card

Last week, the Soy Transportation Coalition named CSX Transportation as the top-performing railroad in the fourth annual Railroad Report Card.

Union Pacific Railroad, which was the top-ranked railroad in 2011 and 2012, finished in second place, while Norfolk Southern Railway climbed to third place after placing fourth in 2012. Survey respondents ranked Canadian Pacific as last for the third year in a row. BNSF Railway Co., CN and Kansas City Southern ranked fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Leading U.S. agricultural shippers completed the anonymous survey. Eleven questions were categorized under on-time performance, customer service and costs. The 2013 survey had the largest number of participants in the history of the report card.

In addition to receiving the highest overall rating, CSX ranked first in six of the 11 questions. Overall, railroads scored an average 2.5 percent higher than in 2012. The roads ranked particularly high on their ability to provide quality customer service and resolve problems. However, they ranked lower on providing adequate notification when price increases occurred.

"For U.S. farmers to be profitable, having a responsive and reliable freight-rail system is essential," said coalition Chairman Pat Knouff, an Ohio soybean farmer. "This reliance on rail transportation is only expected to continue. It is therefore important for farmers, agricultural shippers and railroads to work together."