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.
The Port of New Orleans reported a 4% increase in breakbulk cargo volume in May, fueled by steel and general cargo.
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.
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.
