Growth Strategy
Rail executives engage Princeton to identify and rigorously evaluate new business models and potential opportunities related to modal conversion and emerging technologies.
Case Study
Growth Strategy: Intermodal Transportation Management
To support rail freight growth and reduce road congestion, North American Class I Railroads have been driving a modal shift from truck to rail. This strategy strengthens supply chains, delivers significant value to businesses, and supports the development of a more reliable rail freight network. It aligns with national priorities to improve rail infrastructure, meet growing demand, and reduce environmental impact.
In response, Princeton developed Pegasus—the first commercial intermodal platform for the North American rail freight sector. Pegasus streamlines operations by managing door-to-door orders, drayage, rail billing, and terminal services. It plays a key role in supporting freight operators, potential customers, and intermodal marketing companies (IMCs) through improved efficiency, visibility, and service quality.
Deployed by CN, CPKC, CSX, NS (Thoroughbred Direct and Triple Crown), UP (Streamline), and key partners like TTX, Pegasus has been essential to the rail industry’s digital transformation.
Case Study
Growth Strategy: Railcar IoT Platform
RailPulse was established to develop the first vendor-agnostic industry standard for railcar IoT in North America, to support rail freight growth, improve supply chain visibility, and accelerating modal conversion from truck to rail. RailPulse is strengthening the rail freight sector by making railways more data-driven, efficient, and responsive to customer needs, helping to move more freight reliably and sustainably across the country.
Princeton has played a vital role in helping RailPulse deliver significant value to freight operators, railcar owners, and potential customers. Our work has helped to build confidence among other stakeholders in the rail industry, positioning RailPulse as a key enabler of rail infrastructure modernization and freight growth.
Key achievements include:
Evaluation of the IoT technology global state-of-the-industry, including performance, protocols, and application-specific capabilities for transporting goods over long distances
Creation and execution of the RailPulse vendor RFI and RFQ with accepted recommendations, advancing innovation within the rail freight network
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of both near-term and long-term benefits of RailPulse adoption for shippers, freight operators, and the broader rail network
Case Study
Growth Strategy: Due Diligence
For a North American railroad, Princeton led the technical evaluation of a third-party platform provider, assessing application functionality, technical scalability, and providing strategic recommendations to improve and scale the business.
“Choosing Princeton as our strategic partner in the crucial journey of selecting a new Intermodal Terminal Operating System (TOS) was a game-changing decision for us. Their expertise in intermodal operations not only enriched our knowledge but also empowered us to strategically plan operations and adhere to best practices. A truly excellent partner, Princeton was instrumental in steering our project toward success.”
– Class I Railroad Senior Director