CSX

What CSX does

CSX Corporation is a publicly traded Class I freight railroad (NASDAQ: CSX) operating approximately 20,000 route miles of track across 26 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces (Ontario and Quebec). The company provides rail-based freight transportation through traditional carload service, intermodal container/trailer transport, and rail-to-truck transloading (TRANSFLO), serving nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population and connecting with over 240 short-line railroads and 70+ ocean, river, and lake ports. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, CSX employs approximately 20,000 people and serves a broad base of roughly 244,000 annual freight shippers across six commodity segments: merchandise/industrial, intermodal, coal, chemical, agricultural, and automotive. Named enterprise customers include Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Chick-fil-A, HD Hyundai Power Transformers, and Owens Corning.

The technology stack includes safety-critical systems such as Positive Train Control (GPS/sensor-based), an enterprise drone program with 250+ drones and 350+ FAA-certified pilots, Kubernetes-based virtualization (Red Hat OpenShift with Pure Storage Portworx), and a cloud-native data platform built on Microsoft Fabric and Infosys Topaz AI that consolidated 50,000+ legacy reports into 1,200 actionable insights. The proprietary Highway-to-Rail (H2R) Optimizer identifies freight suitable for intermodal conversion, while ShipCSX provides a self-service digital portal for booking, tracking, and payment. Recent infrastructure investments include the $450M Howard Street Tunnel expansion enabling double-stack container service to the Port of Baltimore, and a $670M Wabtec fleet modernization agreement for 100 new and 50 modernized locomotives.

Revenue is generated primarily through transaction-based freight fees (Q1 2026: $3.48B, up 2% YoY), with supplementary streams from intermodal services, fuel surcharges, and real estate/licensing income (3,000+ rail-served sites). The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, channel partnerships (short-line railroads, ports), and inside sales via the ShipCSX digital platform. Q1 2026 net income reached $807M (up 25% YoY) with a 64% operating ratio and 26% EPS growth, driven by efficiency initiatives generating over $100M in savings. The company has paid uninterrupted dividends for 45 consecutive years and has grown the dividend for 21 consecutive years, recently announcing a $5B share repurchase program.

Name

CSX

Legal name

CSX Corporation

Website

https://csx.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

CSX Corporation (NASDAQ: CSX) is a Class I freight railroad operating ~20,000 route miles across the eastern U.S. and Canada, providing carload, intermodal, and transload services to ~244,000 annual shippers across industrial, automotive, agricultural, chemical, and energy segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Transportation

NAICS

Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Rail Transportation (48211)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border Rail Freight Operators (International Corridors) (TLADACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rail-Truck Transload Terminals (Inland) (TLALAFAJ), Intermodal Terminal Value-Added Services (Cross-Dock, Transload, Stuffing/Stripping) (TLAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Rail freight transportation
• Intermodal shipping services
• Freight logistics solutions
• Rail network operations
• Supply chain transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Freight Transportation Services: CSX generates primary revenue through rail-based freight transportation services, including traditional carload service and intermodal container/trailer transport. Pricing is quote-based and varies by commodity, distance, volume, and contract terms.
2. Intermodal Services: Revenue from combined rail-truck intermodal transportation, leveraging double-stacked containers and extensive terminal network. This segment has shown strong growth with 6% volume increases and 5% revenue increases in Q1 2026.
3. Rail-to-Truck Transload Services: CSX provides transloading and distribution services through TRANSFLO terminals, consolidating truckloads onto rail cars for multi-destination delivery, creating additional revenue streams.
4. Fuel Surcharges: Variable fuel surcharge revenue that adjusts with diesel prices, providing revenue tailwinds when fuel costs rise and affecting freight conversion economics.
5. Real Estate and Property Services: Revenue from industrial development, property leasing, and permitting services. CSX maintains relationships with 3,000+ available rail-served sites for commercial development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CSX operates one of the largest Class I freight railroad networks in North America, providing rail-based freight transportation across approximately 20,000 route miles spanning 26 states, the District of Columbia, and two Canadian provinces. The company offers traditional carload freight service, intermodal container/trailer transport combining rail efficiency with truck flexibility, rail-to-truck transloading through TRANSFLO terminals, the Southeast Mexico Express cross-border service with CPKC, and digital logistics through the ShipCSX platform. The network connects to over 240 short-line railroads and 70+ ports, serving enterprise customers in industrial, manufacturing, energy, agricultural, chemical, and automotive sectors.

Product overview

CSX is a leading North American freight railroad offering a unified rail-based transportation platform with multiple integrated service lines. The core product is CSX Transportation (CSXT), providing traditional carload and intermodal freight services across approximately 20,000 route miles. The service portfolio includes intermodal transport (combining rail with truck via double-stacked containers), rail-to-truck transloading (TRANSFLO), and the Southeast Mexico Express cross-border service with CPKC. Customer-facing digital tools include ShipCSX (web portal for booking, tracking, and payment), the Carbon Calculator (sustainability tool), and the CSX Select Sites industrial development program. The network connects to over 240 short line railroads, 70+ ports, and covers 26 U.S. states plus two Canadian provinces, serving nearly two-thirds of the American population.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSX Transportation (CSXT) Core rail-based freight transportation services providing traditional rail carload transport and intermodal container/trailer transport across a 20,000-mile network covering 26 states, the District of Columbia, and Canadian provinces Ontario and Quebec.
• Intermodal Services Transportation service combining rail efficiencies with truck flexibility, using double-stacked containers to move freight between modes. Includes Highway-to-Rail (H2R) Optimizer tool for identifying freight attractive for intermodal conversion.
• ShipCSX Secure web application suite enabling customers to plan, ship, trace, and pay for shipments with real-time reporting and electronic data exchange capabilities.
• Southeast Mexico Express (SMX) Premium rail service in partnership with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) providing cross-border freight between Mexico and U.S. Southeast with dedicated train service and 20-45% faster transit times.
• Short Line Railroad Partnerships Network of over 240 short line and regional railroad partnerships extending market reach, generating over $3.7B in CSX revenue and covering 1.2M carloads in 2024.
• TRANSFLO Truck-to-rail transload service where truckloads of product are consolidated and transferred onto rail cars, with delivery to multiple non-rail-served locations.
• CSX Select Sites Industrial development program providing pre-certified rail-served properties across 10 states for lower risk and faster speed to market for new manufacturing facilities.
• Carbon Calculator Emissions reduction calculator helping shippers achieve supply chain sustainability objectives by comparing CO2 savings when shipping by rail versus highway.
• CSX Real Estate Property and real estate services including buying/leasing railroad land, permitting for utility installations, rail corridor access for trails, and cellular tower co-location.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2% revenue growth to $3.48B in Q1 2026 with 3% volume growth
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Red Hat (OpenShift Virtualization)coreTechnology or Integration · 18 June 2026Migrated on-premises virtualization infrastructure to Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization with Portworx storage from Pure Storage. Proof-of-concept tested resiliency and migration speed. Deployment supports safety-critical rail infrastructure including Positive Train Control across 21,000-mile network.
• Pure Storage (Portworx)coreTechnology or Integration · 18 June 2026Kubernetes-based storage platform chosen after evaluating multiple options. Proved fastest combination for live VM migration and new VM provisioning. Supporting enterprise-wide virtualization infrastructure.
• BNSF RailwaystrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026New partnership announced between CSX and BNSF, Berkshire Hathaway-owned railroad. CSX highlighted at CNBC as top transport stock with improved margins and new partnership. Both companies publicly opposed UP-NS merger.
• Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Joint premium rail service between Mexico, Texas and U.S. Southeast. Dedicated train service with 20-45% transit time improvements: 2-day Atlanta-Dallas, 3-day Monterrey service, 4-day central Mexico to Atlanta. New origins/destinations include Charlotte, Jacksonville, Central Florida. Capital investments in track, bridges, and signal infrastructure along former Meridian & Bigbee Railroad corridor across Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
• CSXstayingontrack.com CoalitionstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 May 2026Public engagement website mobilizing shippers, communities, and stakeholders to participate in Surface Transportation Board review of UP-NS merger. Provides STB review process information, public docket links, and comment filing guidance.
• Regional RailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 April 2026Short line holding company operating 17 railroads across U.S. and Western Canada. Partnership allows both companies to extend network reach and deliver transportation solutions through shared services including freight, transloading, and industrial development. Emphasizes mutual benefits of market intelligence sharing and collaborative growth.
• InfosyscoreTechnology or Integration · 24 February 2026Major data modernization program implementing unified cloud-native platform using Infosys Topaz AI services and Microsoft Fabric. Consolidated 50,000+ legacy reports into 1,200 actionable insights across 28 domains. Achieved significant annual infrastructure savings and established foundation for predictive analytics and logistics optimization. One of largest deployments of Microsoft Fabric in transportation sector.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 24 February 2026Cloud and AI technologies deployment through Microsoft Fabric and Microsoft Purview. Enabled real-time analytics, automated metadata governance, and AI-driven decision-making across enterprise operations. Supporting CSX's digital transformation and future optimization initiatives.
• Infosys and MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 24 February 2026Trilateral collaboration for large-scale data modernization. Infosys provided Topaz AI services, Microsoft provided Fabric and Purview platforms. Resulted in significant infrastructure savings and real-time analytics capabilities.
• Wabtec CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026$670 million fleet modernization agreement covering 100 new Evolution Series locomotives, 50 modernized D9 locomotives (DC to AC traction conversion), and digital solutions. New locomotive deliveries begin 2026, modernized units arrive 2027. Goals include improved fuel efficiency, tractive effort, reliability, and network performance.
• Quality CarrierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2021Acquisition of largest bulk liquid chemicals truck transportation provider in North America, expected to close Q3 2021. Creates multimodal chemicals transportation solution combining CSX rail network with Quality Carriers trucking fleet. Enables end-to-end chemical logistics for shippers.

Scale indicators26 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Norfolk Southern: Norfolk Southern is the most direct competitor to CSX, operating a Class I freight railroad across the eastern United States with overlapping corridors, intermodal terminals, and coal/merchandise/intermodal/automotive customer mix. NS is the subject of the pending UP merger that CSX is publicly opposing.
• Union Pacific: Union Pacific is a Class I freight railroad and the western US counterpart to CSX. It is one half of the proposed UP-NS merger that CSX is actively contesting at the Surface Transportation Board, and competes with CSX in transcontinental lanes.
• BNSF Railway: BNSF, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is the largest North American Class I freight railroad, operating primarily in the western and northern US. BNSF is a direct Class I peer to CSX and recently announced a new partnership with CSX while jointly opposing the UP-NS merger.
• Canadian National Railway: Canadian National is a Class I freight railroad serving Canada and the US Midwest. It is a direct Class I peer to CSX, overlapping in eastern Canadian/US corridors and competing for cross-border and intermodal freight; CN also joined CSX in opposing the UP-NS merger.
• Canadian Pacific Kansas City: CPKC is a Class I freight railroad formed from the CP-KCS merger, providing direct Canada-US-Mexico connectivity. It is CSX's joint venture partner on the Southeast Mexico Express (SMX) cross-border service and a fellow opponent of the UP-NS merger.
• Hub Group: Hub Group is an intermodal and logistics provider that buys rail capacity from CSX and other Class I railroads to offer container, drayage, and truck brokerage services. It is a direct peer in intermodal services and a customer/channel for CSX capacity.

Broad incumbents

• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: J.B. Hunt operates one of the largest US intermodal networks, working with Class I railroads including CSX and BNSF. It is a broad intermodal incumbent that competes with CSX Intermodal for truck-to-rail conversion while also being a major customer of CSX rail capacity.
• Schneider National: Schneider National is a large US trucking, intermodal, and logistics provider. Its intermodal business competes with CSX Intermodal for truck-to-rail converted freight, and it operates as both customer and substitute for CSX rail services.

Others

• GATX: GATX is the largest global railcar lessor, supplying tank cars, freight cars, and locomotives to shippers and railroads including CSX. It is an ecosystem supplier to CSX rather than a direct competitor, providing rolling stock capacity CSX relies on.
• The Greenbrier Companies: Greenbrier is a leading North American manufacturer of railroad equipment including freight railcars, intermodal platforms, and barges. It supplies equipment used on CSX's network and competes in adjacent rail equipment markets; alongside Wabtec, it is a key supplier partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSX
• YouTubeyoutube.com/HowTomorrowMoves
• Facebookfacebook.com/OfficialCSX
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csx-transportation
• Instagraminstagram.com/OfficialCSX

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A5 records

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CSX