Enough is Enough: STB Puts the Belt Railway of Chicago on Notice

Letter sent on August 3 requests weekly reports on trends, outlook

In April of 2026, our union first sounded the alarm about the emerging situation at Barr Yard in Chicago.

An apparent repeat of a destructive plan pursued by CSX in 2017, the carrier was once again farming out its switching operation to multiple short lines, including the Belt Railway of Chicago (BRC) and Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB).

Nine years ago, CSX promised that this shift would lead to greater efficiency. Instead, the result was congestion, service failures, customer frustration, and federal scrutiny.

Back then, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) eventually stepped in, and the plan ultimately had to be reversed. Still, the railroad spent years recovering from the consequences.

Now it seems that history may be repeating itself.

Concerning Trends Caught the Board’s Attention

On August 3, 2026, the STB sent a letter to the BRC requesting an update and outlook on the short line’s operations. CSX also received a copy of this correspondence.

Citing the agency’s responsibility to monitor the health of the freight railroad network and the critical role of the BRC’s Clearing Yard to the network and the nation’s supply chain, the Board cited several “concerning trends” that it was made aware of, including:

• Average weekly railcar inventory in Clearing Yard has increased by 57 percent in comparison to the same week last year (Week 30), from 3,212 cars in 2025 to 5,048 cars in 2026.
• During the same period, average dwell in Clearing Yard increased by 72 percent, rising from about 18 hours to 31 hours.
• Since the beginning of April 2026, average weekly railcar inventory in Clearing Yard has increased by 26 percent, up from 4,012 cars, with average yard dwell increasing by 63 percent, up from 19 hours. The Board elaborates, further saying this combination could be indicative of growing congestion in the larger Chicago complex and the region.

Weekly Reporting, Action Plan Part of the BRC’s Homework

The STB makes it clear in its letter: the Board wants to see a clear explanation from the BRC as to the reasoning behind these trends, as well as a plan for working with the Class I railroads to stabilize traffic at Clearing Yard and return it to normal levels.

In addition, the BRC must provide weekly reports to the Board that include several critical metrics, including:

• Average Daily
  • Dwell;
  • Inventory;
  • Cars humped;
  • Cars re-humped;
  • Number of cars received;
  • Number of cars departed;
  • On-time departure percentage.

SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson praised the Board’s action, highlighting how it underscores what our union first predicted earlier this year.

“Since April, we have heard from our brothers and sisters at the BRC and our CSX members working at Barr Yard about the serious consequences that the carrier’s actions are having on both Chicago and the nation’s freight rail network,” he said. “We reported the issues that our Yardmasters have witnessed and now the STB sees it, too. Our memories are long, and the original outcome of this half-baked strategy is not easily forgotten. We commend the STB for stepping in and are confident it will stop this problem from progressing even further.”

Read the STB’s full letter to the BRC, which includes CSX and several other Class I carriers, below.