US rail traffic falls off a cliff NEWSWIRE

U.S. Rail Traffic1 Week 15, 2020 – Ended April 11, 2020 This Week Year-To-Date Cars vs 2019 Cumulative Avg/wk2 vs 2019 Total Carloads 198,726 -23.8% 3,402,688 226,846 -8.2% Chemicals 28,994 -10.4% 486,862 32,457 1.6% Coal 52,468 -36.1% 943,514 62,901 -18.5% Farm Products excl. Grain, and Food 14,295 -11.7% 235,737 15,716 0.7% Forest Products 9,234 -5.2% 145,758 9,717 -2.8% Grain 22,237 2.7% 304,078 20,272 -5.3% Metallic Ores and Metals 17,949 -25.0% 307,533 20,502 -3.2% Motor Vehicles and Parts 2,185 -87.7% 201,980 13,465 -18.0% Nonmetallic Minerals 31,651 -7.4% 441,951 29,463 -7.1% Petroleum and Petroleum Products 10,568 -21.1% 189,485 12,632 1.0% Other 9,145 -5.0% 145,790 9,719 5.3% Total Intermodal Units 213,777 -20.0% 3,610,246 240,683 -9.8% Total Traffic 412,503 -21.9% 7,012,934 467,529 -9.1% 1 Excludes U.S. operations of Canadian Pacific, CN and GMXT. 2 Average per week figures may not sum to totals as a result of independent rounding.

Association of American Railroads WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 11, 2020. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 412,503 carloads and intermodal units, down 21.9% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending April 11 were […]

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News Wire Digest Third Section for Friday, April 10 NEWSWIRE

BNSF_Oil_Lassen

A BNSF Railway oil train passes through Lisle, Ill. Railroads are resisting requests to use tank cars to store crude oil during the oil price downturn. TRAINS: David Lassen Still more Friday morning rail news: — Railroads are resisting efforts from oil companies to store crude oil in tank cars during the current drop in […]

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National shippers conference cancels 2020 meeting NEWSWIRE

CHICAGO — The North American Rail Shippers Association today announced the cancellation of its 2020 Annual Meeting planned on May 12-14, 2020 in Kansas City, Mo. Every year, the NARS organization looks forward to connecting with the rail shipping community at the NARS Annual Meeting and sharing insight from industry leaders. Given the growing concerns […]

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News Wire Digest Second Section for Wednesday, April 8 NEWSWIRE

Alaskalogo

More Wednesday morning rail news: — The Alaska Railroad reported a $21.6 million profit in 2019, a 17% improvement over the previous year, thanks to improved freight business. The Anchorage Daily News reports the railroad generated $203.9 million in total revenue, an increase of 7.5%. Freight traffic increased by 9%, leading to $85.3 million in […]

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Canada issues new rules on hazardous material trains, track safety

Tank_Cars_Lassen

Canada’s Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, has announced new orders restricting speeds of trains transporting hazardous materials, and updating rules regarding track safety and inspections. The first of the three ministerial orders issued Friday replaces temporary rules issued on Feb. 6 in response to a Canadian Pacific derailment and fire [see “Canadian government orders speed […]

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News Wire Digest Second Section for Saturday, April 4 NEWSWIRE

BMLP_Hopper

Set up to be transported like a trailer, a donated Black Mesa & Lake Powell hopper car prepares to leave the Navajo Generating Station in Page, Ariz., for its trip to the Arizona Railroad Heritage Park and Museum. Arizona State Railroad Museum Foundation More Saturday morning rail news: — Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee has […]

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Tidewater transience

20200310

Two Geeps (center left) bring a train into Chesapeake & Ohio’s sprawling coal storage yard at Newport News, Va. Cars are stored here until needed at the nearby port facilities where they are mixed with various other grades of coal while loading into oceangoing vessels. Chesapeake & Ohio, John B. Corns collection […]

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