The Biden administration is calling railroad executives to Washington to explain how they plan to reverse negative cargo trends and grow their business.
U.S. intermodal volumes actually grew in September, according to the Association of American Railroads. And with the harvest season in full swing in the fourth quarter, expect rising grain volumes.
This week in Borderlands: Houston export terminal lets Temco capitalize on grain demand; $10M FAST lanes completed at World Trade Bridge; Spearpoint Logistics to open distribution hub in Texas; and Port Houston’s terminal container yards receive upgrade.
U.S. freight railroads moved fewer volumes in 2022 than 2021 amid declines in intermodal traffic, according to recent industry data.
Railroad intermodal volumes are down, but consumer spending remains relatively strong. Carloads of coal are up, but forest products are down. Whether these volume changes reflect broader macroeconomic slowing remains less clear.
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Craig Fuller explains the impact of higher diesel prices on the U.S. economy and consumers.
See how much a single rail car can carry
FreightWaves market expert Mike Baudendistel chats with Harris Ligon, co-founder and CEO of a stealth startup, about how recent growth trends for industrial production in North America will affect rail volumes and equipment availability.
From executive transitions at Union Pacific and Pacific West to January rail volumes to new offerings in the MoW lessor space, here are some news items rounding out the week.
Despite being stymied by labor shortages and lack of equipment such as chassis in the second half of 2021, U.S. intermodal volumes were actually pretty high considering the yearly total.
From M&A to supply chain disruptions, the freight rail industry navigated an often unpredictable 2021.
The efforts it takes to ship the great Rockefeller Center Christmas tree; rail is the new hotness in shipping; and why we buy so many presents at Christmas.
Freight railroads are committed to delivering the best possible service product for customers and consumers
Intermodal rail volumes were lower again year-over-year in September as the ability to process containers and imports is stymied by ongoing supply chain capacity constraints.
The railroads have been facing a number of headwinds in recent months, all of which could put pressure on their financial outlooks for 2021, according to investment firm Cowen.
Port of New Orleans recorded mix results during August, which officials attributed to global supply chain issues.
Railcar manufacturer Greenbrier’s Q4 orders total over $530 million, plus U.S. weekly rail volumes dip on an intermodal traffic decline.
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The pace of U.S. rail volume growth slowed in July, according to Association of American Railroad data. But still expect intermodal growth through 2021 in North America, the Intermodal Association of North America said.
U.S. rail traffic was flat year-over-year as the July Fourth weekend impacted volume comparisons. Also, Northwestern University released a report describing how freight rail handled supply chain challenges over the past year.
Ocean carriers and Class I railroads both agree that chassis shortages are contributing to volume congestion. But solutions to relieve the congestion rely on multiple supply chain stakeholders, say the railroads.
Reducing dwell times for equipment and at the terminals is one way the Class I railroads are seeking to relieve systemwide supply chain congestion, according to executives at recent investor conferences.
U.S. rail volumes climbed nearly 30% in May from last year’s pandemic-induced troughs. Intermodal traffic has boosted rail volumes this year and could continue to do so in spite of capacity constraints at U.S. ports.
he U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting lower export volumes for corn, wheat and soybeans for the 2021-2022 crop year. The agency also expects record overall U.S. farm exports for fiscal year 2021. Also, U.S. rail volumes on a weekly basis were flat to lower from the prior week.
See why Freight Railroads are Separated Into Classes
News briefs outline U.S. rail volumes, expanded service offerings by TNW Corporation and The Andersons, OmniTRAX rail-ready sites in northeast Ohio and milestones at the Transportation Technology Center complex in Pueblo, Colorado.
U.S. rail traffic slipped last week from the prior week, although they’re still up by double-digit percentage points year-over-year, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.
Steel and chemicals were among the commodities that showed volume strength in April, according to the Association of American Railroads. North American intermodal volumes grew 10.5% in the first quarter, said the Intermodal Association of North America.
U.S. weekly rail volumes were 24.5% higher last week, although last year’s figures reflect the volume downturn that occurred at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Potential service disruptions from the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger could be a key issue explored by regulators reviewing the merger, FTR says. The consulting firm also projects favorable market conditions for intermodal rail and carloads in 2021 and into 2022.
U.S. rail traffic rose 14% in March amid higher grain and intermodal volumes. But some commodities are also reflecting uneven year-over-year comparisons because of the pandemic-induced volume downturn that began in late March 2020.
The pandemic-induced volume downturn from last year is making year-over-year comparisons inflated. However, strength in the consumer economy could support rail volumes.
February rail service issues are still being felt in March, raising concerns about the Canadian rail network’s ability to handle increased grain volumes in future years.
U.S. intermodal traffic on a weekly basis continues to show strength, rising last week by 22%, according to the Association of American Railroads. The increase comes amid higher U.S. retail sales in February year-over-year, despite a sequential decline.
International intermodal volumes for the U.S. have risen 44% year-over-year, according to FreightWaves SONAR, amid higher import activity.
U.S. weekly intermodal volumes moved higher last week amid support from retail and e-commerce, while carloads slumped as some U.S. Gulf Coast facilities seek to fully return to normal following February’s winter storm.
The extreme cold and heavy snow dampened U.S. rail volumes last week.
FreightCar America makes Terry Rogers its permanent CFO, the Association of American Railroads reports weekly U.S. rail volumes rose 0.3% year-over-year, and The Broe Group updates its progress on a Savannah, Georgia-area industrial park.
The U.S. housing market is tight heading into 2021, with higher housing starts and limited inventories helping to support lumber and wood carloads.
Anticipated consumer spending levels, retail restocking and tight truck capacity are among the factors that could support intermodal volumes this year, according to Class I rail execs.
U.S. weekly rail traffic rose nearly 6% last week amid a 43% increase in grain carloads and a 13% rise in intermodal traffic.
Anticipated higher natural gas prices could prompt coal’s share in U.S. power generation to grow in 2021 and 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook.
Falling U.S. coal carload volumes reflect the decline of U.S. energy consumption of power generated by coal. Also, U.S. intermodal traffic offset volume losses in 2020.
Total employment among the U.S. operations of the Class I railroads fell nearly 14% year-over-year amid the railroads’ continued deployment of precision scheduled railroading.
Freight rail groups and others congratulate the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, on his nomination to lead DOT; also, U.S. weekly rail volumes rise nearly 5% year-over-year
U.S. weekly carloads last week were only 1.4% lower than year-ago levels, while intermodal traffic is still experiencing double-digit percentage increases.
November was a bright spot for U.S. and Canadian grain carloads.
KCS says Mexico protests are impacting fourth-quarter revenue, and Norfolk Southern announces leadership changes.
U.S. carload traffic on a weekly basis was 3.1% lower last week on a year-over-year basis and 1.7% higher sequentially.
Weekly intermodal traffic is still higher year-over-year although on a sequential basis, volumes appear to be leveling off for trailers.
With intermodal volumes growing in the third quarter and October, how will the railroads handle intermodal traffic in the fourth quarter?
Freight trains can carry a multitude of cargo, with car variations to serve each type.
U.S. rail volumes on a weekly basis were 2% higher last week amid a 9% increase in intermodal traffic.
Intermodal traffic props up rail volumes and gains for retail sales; CSX, Union Pacific announce new appointments.
The rail equipment and technology provider is one of many companies that have laid off or furloughed employees because of the lower-volume environment exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. intermodal traffic on a weekly basis rose 8.4% year-over-year. Carload volume still lags although the year-over-year gap is narrowing.
U.S. intermodal volumes grew in September amid a continued increase in U.S. imports.
U.S. intermodal traffic continues its upward trend but carloads are still lower year-over-year.
U.S. rail volumes were down by only 1.3% compared with the same period in 2019. Intermodal traffic provided the boost.
U.S. rail volumes, including intermodal traffic, fell in a week that was shortened by Labor Day.
U.S. intermodal traffic continues upward trend; separately, Kansas City Southern reportedly rejects takeover bid.
Weekly U.S. intermodal traffic continues upward, but Hurricane Laura could threaten that trend.
Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes notched higher again for the second week in a row.
Intermodal volumes actually grew year-over-year.
U.S. carloads fall nearly 18%, although intermodal traffic slipped by only 1%.
As U.S. weekly carloads have trended lower for months, rail industry stakeholders discuss how to relieve the railcar supply glut.
Weekly volumes for U.S. intermodal units were only 1.7% lower than the same period in 2019.
The reduction in employee levels comes as the railroads deploy cost-cutting measures to match network capacity needs with market demand.
U.S. rail traffic is still facing double-digit percentage declines amid trade uncertainties and the coronavirus pandemic.
The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. That search for modal share growth is still […]
Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes rise nearly 8% amid the easing of social distancing restrictions that began before the July Fourth holiday weekend. But can intermodal traffic sustain that increase amid pandemic uncertainties?
About 25% of the total railcar fleet is in storage of one kind or another. Jim Blaze writes about best practices of rail storage.
Anthony and Zach talk to rail and intermodal expert Mike Baudendistel about some interesting signals from that sector as well as connecting the dots between modes.
Rail traffic continues to increase after bottoming out in April and May.
Weekly rail traffic moved higher week-to-week amid growing builder confidence and higher retail sales in May. But will the upward trend last?
The cost to build a railroad is staggering. Jim Blaze gives an overview of the costs involved in such an endeavor.
With the second half of the year just weeks away, Class I rail executives are eyeing at least some recovery in rail volumes as shelter-in-place restrictions ease.
Jim Blaze explores the pontential for a merger or mergers among the Class 1 railroads.
Although rail traffic is still down significantly over 2019, that wide difference in volumes could be slowly starting to narrow.
Railroad volumes continue to drop. What might they do to increase volumes? Where are the volume increases going to come from?
Despite U.S. rail traffic remaining sharply lower on a year-over-year basis, rail volumes for commodities such as grain and motor vehicles and parts helped to push volumes higher on a week-to-week basis.
The Class I railroads are hoping that the restart of U.S. automotive production will be one of the first significant steps towards growing rail volumes. Automakers are resuming production as weekly U.S. carloads tumble 30% year-over-year, the widest decline since 1988.
The Class I railroads’ expectations that the second quarter could be rough volume-wise are ringing true.
Moody’s says rail volumes could slip 15% or more in 2020. Meanwhile, IANA confirms declines in international intermodal volumes in the first quarter.
The COVID-19 pandemic sent U.S. rail volumes tumbling last month. But now, stakeholders are looking at the shape and scope of an eventual recovery.
Like all industries, the coronavirus has impacted railroads. What should they be doing to gain market share and better serve their customers?
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the structural decline in U.S. coal consumption, are pulling rail volumes downward.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic the Class I railroads were mothballing freight cars – and locomotives. Jim Blaze examines the issues surrounding the surplus of locomotives.
U.S. rail traffic slumps amid pandemic woes, and challenges are likely to persist into the second quarter.
The pandemic’s economic toll has hit all sectors of transportation, including rail. Read how railroads can manage costs during this global crisis.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is shrinking U.S. rail volumes as the housing construction and retail sectors struggle to stay afloat.
Other factors beyond the coronavirus pandemic are weighing on U.S. rail volumes for grain.
North American rail volumes last week were approaching levels normally seen during Christmas and New Year’s, according to the Association of American Railroads.
Transporting grain is a major source of revenue for the railroads. How will the coronavirus impact the grain market and the railroads?
Jim Blaze looks at the declining need for railroad tank cars. Why is this happening and what’s next?
Motor vehicles carloads fall nearly 67% as the coronavirus pandemic keeps buyers away from showrooms.
