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 Telegraph

Telegraph 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 Telegraph

Telegraph 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 Telegraph

Telegraph 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.