U.S. regulator to meet next month with disgruntled railroad customers

The top U.S. railways regulator plans to hold a series of meetings with disgruntled shippers and other customers starting next month, after fresh complaints over service delays and higher costs from automotive and grain lobby groups. The Surface Transportation Board's last major public hearing was in October and focused on service issues at the CSX Corp railroad. Reuters reported two weeks ago that a drive to cut costs and boost margins at CSX, Norfolk Southern Corp, and Union Pacific Corp was hurting some of America's largest rail customers.