U.S. rail regulator tackles railroads over customer complaints

The top U.S. rail regulator has asked major railroads for information on service levels before meeting disgruntled shippers and other customers over complaints about service delays and higher costs. In letters to the chief executive officers of the railroads dated March 16 that were posted on the U.S. Surface Transportation Board's (STB) website on Monday, the regulator requested locomotive and employee numbers, and asked whether the railroads have sufficient numbers of each to meet demand.