rail intermodal

Rapid policy decisions are transforming freight flows.

Tension between stores and suppliers has intensified amid commodity fluctuations.

Intermodal rail might still face pressure from a loose truck market in 2024, but intermodal rail providers could see volumes grow longer term if they keep service humming, according to Breakthrough’s chief economist.

Intermodal rail can and should be a competitive transportation mode, provided that short-line railroads play a part and more investments go into developing intermodal hubs and insightful data sets, according to a report commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund.

Union Pacific is seeking to beef up its intermodal offerings via a terminal in Phoenix and the addition of destinations for its on-dock rail service at Port Houston.

BNSF, J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Mexico’s GMXT are launching an intermodal service in January between Mexico and the Midwest.

The Port of Montreal has received funding from Canada’s National Trade Corridors Fund to build a new terminal aimed at boosting the port’s container handling capacity.

Union Pacific will be offering intermodal service between two cities in Mexico and the U.S. Southeast.

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.

Two Florida East Coast Railway terminals will gain access to Norfolk Southern’s network, and NS and FEC will use a steel wheel interchange in Jacksonville, Florida, which will bolster access to Midwest markets.

Although the U.S. supply chain may no longer be imperiled by the pandemic-era chassis shortage, companies should still act in response to expectations that e-commerce and global trade will only continue to grow, according to the president and CEO of Trac Intermodal.

Expanded service offerings, such as a reduction in transit time for the Falcon Premium intermodal service, should help support Union Pacific in the third and fourth quarters, UP leaders said at an investor conference this week.

Parallel Systems unveiled Tuesday another second-generation, battery-powered autonomous rail vehicle, which is slated for use in pilot projects both in the U.S. and abroad. Through this iteration of the autonomous rail vehicle, Los Angeles-based Parallel Systems will be looking at how its autonomous rail vehicle performs with the broader rail network. It said it is […]

Canadian railway CN and Norfolk Southern are partnering to create a domestic intermodal service that will connect Canadian customers with markets in the U.S. Southeast.

The new service will provide a direct connection from the Port of Savannah to CSX’s intermodal terminal in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Norfolk Southern and DrayNow will further develop technology for intermodal that provides real-time information on first- and last-mile movements.

STG Logistics will extend its reach in Canada by offering “port-to-door” services in six new markets in addition to the Toronto and Montreal markets that it already serves.

Two Genesee & Wyoming subsidiaries are seeking a permit from the Federal Railroad Administration to conduct a pilot project that would involve deploying Parallel Systems’ autonomous rail vehicle technology on limited portions of their networks in Georgia.

FTR Transportation Intelligence expects a competitive truck market and port activity shift to put pressure on rail intermodal in 2023.

OceaNS Bridge Express, a partnership among NS, Union Pacific, Hapag-Lloyd and the Port of Virginia, could be a means to avoid West Coast port congestion while taking advantage of East Coast port capacity improvements.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for federal, state and local governments to develop inland ports to improve network flows, say stakeholders.

Record earnings per share of $2.48 beat analysts’ estimates.

The investments rely on expectations that customers will want easy or green access to railroads’ intermodal offerings.

UP’s capital expenditures plan for 2022 includes investments to intermodal terminals and intermodal ramps, executives said during the company’s fourth-quarter 2021 earnings call Thursday.

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.

Infrastructure and capacity expansion projects, regulatory uncertainties and progress toward supply chain visibility and sustainability are the themes that rail and intermodal stakeholders have set their sights on in 2022.

From M&A to supply chain disruptions, the freight rail industry navigated an often unpredictable 2021.

The pilot program in Chicago and Kansas City aims to encourage trucks to come — and go — with a shipping container.

The state-of-the-art terminal has rail-to-truck transfer capacity domestic and international containers and deploys automated container handling.

Like its Class I peers, Norfolk Southern encountered supply chain disruptions brought on by a lack of workers in dray and warehousing.

To make room for more containers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, UP and BNSF are offering incentives to ocean carrier customers to move out the containers already there. UP is also temporarily pausing westbound marine container movement to its Long Beach facility.

Domestic intermodal container volume growth over the past two months may not signal a definitive end to the rail yard blues, but it is a positive sign for supply chain managers.

Union Pacific could’ve handled more intermodal volume in the third quarter were it not for longer chassis dwell times and a shortage of dray drivers, executives said during the company’s earnings call.

CSX has been aggressively pursuing new employees in order to meet network capacity needs, executives said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call.

The NS terminal will serve “strong growth in the Louisville intermodal market.”

INRD’s expansion will benefit Indianapolis-area intermodal customers seeking access to the Asian market.

The Department of Transportation seeks “practical solutions” from the freight industry to alleviate container shortages and supply chain chokepoints.

Labor and chassis shortages, as well as congestion in the wider supply chain, have contributed to lower U.S. intermodal traffic compared with a year ago.

FreightWaves market expert Mike Baudendistel chats with Norfolk Southern’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Alan Shaw about intermodal challenges and opportunities confronting NS and other Class I railroads.

NS plans to reopen a Pennsylvania intermodal facility in response to e-commerce rise, market demand and supply chain congestion.

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.

STB Chairman Marty Oberman has sent letters to all the Class I railroads asking them how the railroads are applying storage fees at key container terminals while the supply chain is congested.

Supply chain disruptions for international intermodal are likely to last through the end of the year, Union Pacific President and CEO Lance Fritz said during the second-quarter earnings call on Thursday.

The ocean carrier said Monday that BNSF is reducing import traffic at the ports of LA and Long Beach, while inbound trains from New York area ocean terminals to three Midwestern destinations are also being monitored.

The seven-day suspension of service, starting on Sunday, is aimed at helping ocean carriers, UP and other stakeholders to catch up and relieve the congestion at West Coast ports and busy inland terminals, especially Chicago.

NS is working to repair a defect that could affect over 5,000 chassis. The repairs come amid high congestion at terminals and intermodal facilities across the U.S.

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.

Appearing at an investor conference Wednesday, management from J.B. Hunt Transport Services said delivery schedules for new containers are being hindered by a lack of ocean capacity, not manufacturers’ build schedules.

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.

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.

Witnesses at a U.S. House hearing on Wednesday stressed the need for a multimodal approach in federal support of the railroads, citing freight rail’s connection with both rural, inland towns and coastal ports.

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.

U.S. rail volumes rose 5.3% in January as gains for intermodal, chemicals and grain were enough to offset losses for coal and petroleum products, according to AAR data.

Higher consumer spending, inventory restocking and rising import levels contributed to a 9.6% gain in North American intermodal volumes in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the Intermodal Association of North America.

SONAR is the leading freight forecasting platform. Two recently added SONAR indices are proving very useful to SONAR subscribers. Learn more.

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.

Two FreightWaves SONAR charts illustrate Union Pacific’s views of the West Coast intermodal spot market.

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.

KCS says Mexico protests are impacting fourth-quarter revenue, and Norfolk Southern announces leadership changes.

The railroad has opened a new intermodal terminal in Minneapolis, and service to and from Los Angeles will begin in January.

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?

The bond credit ratings firm updates its outlook for the freight rail industry from negative to stable amid rising rail volumes.

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 containers arrived this week at North Dakota’s first and only intermodal facility in Minot.

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.

Shippers are willing to pay more to put freight on the rail just to get it moving out of Los Angeles.

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.

CSX expects the construction of two new intermodal terminals, one in North Carolina and the other in Ohio, to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.

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%.

The railroad aims to take market share away from trucks through expanded offerings in the Southwestern and Southeastern U.S.

Weekly volumes for U.S. intermodal units were only 1.7% lower than the same period in 2019.

The expectation that North American consumers will help drive intermodal traffic comes as the railway’s second-quarter volumes were hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Move aimed at preventing possible container transportation emergency.

Dredging efforts and rail capacity expansions at the Southeastern U.S. ports are part of a broader regional strategy to capture more Midwest-bound container traffic on the East Coast.

The fourth quarter of 2020 or the first quarter of 2021 might be when the intermodal sector will see some volume growth. But truck capacity, fuel pricing and pandemic uncertainties make a recovery hard to pin down.

North American rail volumes last week were approaching levels normally seen during Christmas and New Year’s, according to the Association of American Railroads.

The rail industry will try to keep business as usual for as long as possible, according to recent notices to customers.

Intermodal volumes slump as the coronavirus cuts North American import and export volume.

FreightWaves Market Expert Mike Baudendistel writes about the issues impacting rail intermodal in 2020, and the ongoing battle between the railroads and the trucking industry.

Railroads once carried much of the fresh produce across the U.S. Can they do it again? Jim Blaze explores the topic in his latest commentary.

DHL has issued layoff notices for 134 workers in Detroit as it seeks to renegotiate a contract with a supplier. Also, Amazon ditches delivery providers, rail and intermodal volumes drops.

Canadian National begins “disciplined and progressive” shutdown of eastern network and plans to halt all transcontinental service in response to anti-pipeline protests as impact hits intermodal carriers.

Year-to-date U.S. rail volumes are still sluggish, and the effect of the coronavirus on intermodal volumes remains unclear.