Don't Dwell On It

They own the equipment that keeps freight rail moving, but chances are, you don’t really give them a second thought. In “The Lessor of Two Evils”, Harris + Sydney really zoom out to talk about one of the rail industry's most essential + oft overlooked players: railcar lessors.Lessors own + lease cars that shippers depend on to move their goods across the freight rail network. It’s a simple premise, but behind the scenes is a surprisingly complex operation.Harris + Sydney also dig into where they foresee the lessor space heading, namely telematics + predictive maintenance. Scale is everything here + widespread implementation is still likely 5 to 10 years away. It’s a true duality: plenty of opportunities on the horizon, but plenty of challenges still to be faced. About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

The forecast is calling for grain, grain, grain…with a slight chance of geopolitical disruption + a 40% probability that everything changes again before next week.In Cloudy with a Chance of Carloads, Harris + David return with Telegraph’s Q2 2026 Market Consist. As we head into summer, they break down what they are seeing in data - mostly that grain carloads are looking really strong, chemical moves are definitely facing headwinds, + that shipper-friendly market we’ve all enjoyed this last year? It might just be closing up shop.With the USMA renegotiation up in the air - which could easily impact cross-border freight volumes - the fact that 2026 is basically tracking on par with 2025 is actually something close to good news. About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

Railroads have always used technology, but the question is: are they using the right technology for the current time? In The Fast + the Cautious, Harris + Sydney explore one of the most debated, + perhaps most misunderstood, topics across the industry: technology adoption across the railroads.They make the case that railroads are doing better than they are typically given credit for, given the consideration that their number one priority will always be safety + the reality that they will only successfully implement technology when it is financially beneficial for them to do so. They also juxtapose all of that against the needs of frustrated shippers who just expect more in 2026.Their friendly debate also includes everything from shortlines + API feeds to how the railroads can remain competitive against trucking - which is typically faster to adopt technology overall. Tech adoption is increasing across the board + technology itself is only getting faster. So the question remains: can railroads keep up, or will they always be the more cautious part of the supply chain?About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

When conflict half a world away closes the Strait of Hormuz + sends West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude past $100 a barrel, the ripple effects don't just stay in the Middle East, they also show up on American railroads. In "Crude Intentions," Harris + David connect the dots between the escalating energy crisis + what it actually means for shippers, equipment owners, + Class I operating expenses.David, a former US Department of Energy economist who once had to explain anything above $28 per barrel crude to the Secretary's office, puts the current numbers in sharp relief. The pair then digs into the mechanics of fuel surcharges, as well as railroad earning call expectations.The episode spans everything from tanker cars to corn + soybeans. They also pull back the curtain to examine the US-China trade relationship + what a newly complicated energy dynamic could mean for intermodal volumes. The bottom line? When energy markets get this volatile, nothing on the freight rail network is insulated.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

In this episode of “Talk Track”, David sits down with Larry Gross - a 46-year rail industry veteran, award-winning “intermodalist,” + long-time market analyst - to tackle the tough question: does US intermodal have a long-term growth problem? Larry breaks down the data behind his viewpoint - comparing intermodal’s 10-year performance to GDP, import TEUs, + long-haul truckload. He also explains why intermodal share has stagnated despite nearly constant claims that it is actually the industry’s growth engine.David + Larry break down the intermodal math that really matters to shippers: rail doesn’t have to beat truck on speed, but it does have to beat it on cost. Larry argues that years of simplification + interline avoidance may have optimized the railroads…perhaps at the expense of leaving growth on the table. Talk Track, hosted by Harris Ligon + David Correll of Telegraph™, is a spin-off series dedicated to timely rail industry news. From service shakeups to technology breakthroughs, each episode delivers a behind-the-scenes perspective on all the happenings shaping the future of freight rail. Harris + David will bring their decades of rail experience to help them parse through the latest industry headlines, evolving regulations, + the long-term forecasts for how railroads move freight across North America. Find us at telegraph.io/insights, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

In Season 2 Episode 2 of Don't Dwell On It, Harris + Sydney revisit Peter Sims’ Little Bets + explore how small, iterative experiments can compound into meaningful change - personally, professionally, + across the rail industry. In a year that is sure to be defined by uncertainty, they argue that waiting for clarity isn’t a winning strategy, rather, making smart, manageable bets is.From railroads adjusting service windows + cutoff times, to shippers attacking demurrage + testing intermodal conversion, Harris + Sydney challenge every railroading stakeholder to rethink their “we’ve always done it this way” model. In 2026, progress may not come from sweeping transformation, but from a club of operators willing to test, learn, + improve - one little bet at a time.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

In “A Series of Uncertain Events”, Harris + David break down the “Telegraph Market Consist”  for 1H 2026 + what the next three to six months may hold for freight rail. The outlook is…murky, with carload volumes projected to dip 3–5% + intermodal 5–6%. The bright side? This all potentially ripens the conditions for what looks like a shipper’s market.They unpack the forces behind those lower volumes - from international trade headwinds + tariff turbulence to weaker domestic indicators. They also dive into lanes where intermodal is gaining ground versus truckload. For rail shippers the message is pretty simple: in a cycle like this, leverage matters + this may be just the moment to use it.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

The merger saga just took a dramatic turn. In “The STB Strikes Back”, Harris + David are breaking down the STB’s decision to reject the UP-NS application, as well as what that could signal for the future of the potential transcontinental railroad. After months of speculation by everyone from competitors to customers, we have finally seen some actual regulator input + that alone has brought a bit of surprise +, quite possibly, even more questions. Stay tuned - this epic is just getting underway + there is plenty more drama to come!About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

Welcome to Season 2 of Don’t Dwell On It ! In this premiere episode, Harris + Sydney find themselves reflecting on 2025, which was a year Harris affectionately dubbed the year of distraction + Sydney pointedly described as a never-ending saga. The year as a whole was dominated by headlines - from the uncertainties around tariffs that dominated the news cycles in the first half of the year to the merger headlines that left everyone with more questions than answers in the back half.As they look forward to 2026, Harris + Sydney are cautiously optimistic + explore what taking a “wait + see” approach could mean for everything from investment to technology, and, of course, the ever-looming merger. The next chapter in rail history has begun - where are we headed next? About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

In this episode of “Don’t Dwell On It”, Harris + Sydney sit down with Amaro Luna, Chief Product Officer + co-founder at Telegraph, to explore why better data is truly the backbone of the modern rail ecosystem. Drawing on over a decade working in the transportation industry, Amaro explains how small information failures can create massive operational waste, + why shippers should care deeply about data quality as AI becomes more central to decision-making.These three dive into the myths around rail data standards, the realities of EDI, + the cultural barriers that keep legacy industries from adopting new technology. Amaro + Sydney reflect on why better data isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about unlocking a new way of operating. For Amaro, the future of rail belongs to those who build the systems that make moving freight simpler, smarter, + more predictable.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

The proposed Union Pacific + Norfolk Southern merger has been framed as a means of establishing more competition among railroads, but is this message supported by the math? In “The Importance of Being Competitive”, David is joined by guest host Dr. Jason Miller, a professor of Supply Chain Management at the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, to help break down the logic behind this proposed deal. Jason argues that the rail industry’s volume challenges will not be solved through consolidation.David + Jason examine whether a merged UP + NS truly creates value for shippers, unlocks new rail conversion opportunities (spoiler alert: Jason doubts it), + what it means for one carrier to control over 40% of many commodities tracked by the STB. Is this merger really about competition or just the appearance of it? About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

Every railyard has its ghosts - near misses + moments that still echo down the main line. In “The Tell-Tale Yard”, Harris is joined by guest host, Sabin Reynolds of Watco, to swap stories from their days in Class I operations, where some shifts came with equal parts adrenaline + anxiety. From middle of nowhere shakeups to their split-second decisions that may haunt you for years, they revisit some of their favorite “spooky” freight rail tales!Between the laughter + shudder-inducing memories, Harris + Sabin unpack what these “operator horror stories” taught them about leadership, accountability, + resilience. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the people who make rail work - and the moments that remind us why experience, instinct, + just a little bit of humor matter when you’re out in the yard! About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

Telegraph’s first-ever Market Consist is here and Harris + David are pulling back the curtain on what the data really tells us about the state of freight rail.From intermodal’s potential slowdown and Chicago hub velocity to the role of USMCA in protecting critical cross-border flows, they dig into where the industry stands and where it’s headed. Is the growth runway for intermodal as wide as many assume, or are capacity constraints closer than expected?This inaugural report isn’t about saying “up a little here, down a little there.” It’s about actionable insights: what shippers can do, how to navigate tariff turbulence, and why even in a turbulent market, opportunities remain.📈 Want to read the full Market Consist? Visit telegraph.io/insights.---Talk Track, hosted by Harris Ligon + David Correll of Telegraph™, is a spin-off series dedicated to timely rail industry news. From service shakeups to technology breakthroughs, each episode delivers a behind-the-scenes perspective on all the happenings shaping the future of freight rail. Harris + David will bring their decades of rail experience to help them parse through the latest industry headlines, evolving regulations, + the long-term forecasts for how railroads move freight across North America. Find us at telegraph.io/insights, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

BNSF + CSX made waves by announcing a new coast-to-coast intermodal service designed to strengthen east to west connectivity - a timely counterpoint to the proposed UP + NS merger. In “Pride + Intermodal”, Harris + David discuss whether this is the start of a second mega-merger conversation (spoiler alert: Uncle Warren has indicated it’s not), and if this move could complicate things for UP + NS with the STB.By dissecting the competitive angles, service implications, + bigger strategic game at play, Harris + David look at how the Class I’s are positioning themselves for the future. Is this a true thorn in the side of UP + NS? A response to a mandate? Or just an opportunistic play? Harris + David are digging into the details to help figure it out!-----Talk Track, hosted by Harris Ligon + David Correll of Telegraph™, is a spin-off series dedicated to timely rail industry news. From service shakeups to technology breakthroughs, each episode delivers a behind-the-scenes perspective on all the happenings shaping the future of freight rail. Harris + David will bring their decades of rail experience to help them parse through the latest industry headlines, evolving regulations, + the long-term forecasts for how railroads move freight across North America. Find us at telegraph.io/insights, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

Episode Description:When it comes to rail service, shippers have plenty to say - and if you’re not out there listening, you’re probably missing at least half of it! In “Much Ado About Shipping”, Harris + Sydney are joined by Shachar Astor, Chief Growth Officer at Telegraph, for a frank conversation about what shippers really think when it comes to their rail service. Having logged well over 3,000 hours of on-site time with customers, Shachar offers a candid look at the rail industry from the other side of the table.Together, they unpack how the dynamic between shippers + railroads has continued to evolve in an era of heightened expectations, shifting capacity, + rapid technological change. They look at everything from the realities of service performance to what even makes shippers choose rail in the first place, and where railroads have the opportunity to make things better + easier for their customers.About Our HostsHarris Ligon is the co-founder + CEO of Telegraph. Prior to launching Telegraph, he spent nearly 15 years in surface transportation at Uber Freight, Norfolk Southern, + BNSF Railway. During this time, he led teams in operations, strategy, business development, + product development. Sydney Schreiber is Director of Operations at Telegraph. Before joining the team, she built her career in the trucking world, having worked at both Uber Freight + Coyote Logistics. Her experience includes working with dedicated private fleets, as well as leading and scaling new business lines across refrigerated and flatbed operations.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

It’s the story currently dominating industry news: the pending merger between Union Pacific + Norfolk Southern. Beyond the headlines, this merger raises big questions about operational integration, cultural fit, + what it means for rail competition.In this first episode of Talk Track, Harris + David draw on their respective railroad experience to unpack what this merger could mean for shippers, employees, competition, + the general future of freight rail in North America. With keen insights, they explore all the stakes that come into play in the face of the first modern transcontinental railroad. -----Talk Track, hosted by Harris Ligon + David Correll of Telegraph™, is a spin-off series dedicated to timely rail industry news. From service shakeups to technology breakthroughs, each episode delivers a behind-the-scenes perspective on all the happenings shaping the future of freight rail. Harris + David will bring their decades of rail experience to help them parse through the latest industry headlines, evolving regulations, + the long-term forecasts for how railroads move freight across North America. Find us at telegraph.io/insights, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

Everyone wants visibility. Platforms promise it. Dashboards display it. Operators opine about it in reverent tones. But here’s the question - now that we have the capabilities to see everything, why does it feel like we are still guessing?In this inaugural episode, Harris + Sydney dive into the importance of visibility for railroads + shippers alike. They unpack the data that is meaningful in making real-time decisions. Because, ultimately, visibility isn’t just about seeing - it’s about using all the available information to plan the best freight flows possible.About TelegraphTelegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, + railcar leasing companies. With an integrated platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, + proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers, and makes shipping by rail easier + more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn.