CSX Announces 165 Permanent Layoffs and Up to 1,062 Furloughs for Track Maintenance Workers

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 18, 2026

CSX Transportation is cutting 165 permanent maintenance-of-way positions and furloughing as many as 1,062 workers — roughly 900 of them union BMWED members — despite reporting record Q2 2026 results including $1.51 billion in operating income and 17% year-over-year growth. The cuts follow years of attrition-driven workforce reduction under Precision Scheduled Railroading and come amid broader Class I railroad consolidation, including the pending $85 billion Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger. BMWED has pledged to escalate the matter with federal regulators, including the FRA and Surface Transportation Board, citing safety implications from reduced staffing on track inspection and heavy maintenance programs.