Intermodal

While freight demand and volumes still leave room for growth, the overall state of the intermodal market remains somewhat mixed, albeit with some potentially promising signs ahead. That was the word from Larry Gross, president of Gross Transportation Consulting, at the recent RailTrends conference in New York hosted by Progressive Railroading and independent railroad analyst Tony Hatch.

Rail carloads, at 195,948, saw a 2.5% annual decline, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 219,384, headed up 7.1% annually.

For September, the most recent month for which data is available, the SCI reading came in at 0.35, marking an improvement over August’s -2.7 reading, which was its first negative reading since October 2022. This came on the heels of a 1.6 July reading, which was well below June’s 7.9.

Omaha, Neb.-based Class I railroad carrier Union Pacific (UP) said this week that it will be rolling out a new Phoenix-based intermodal terminal, which will provide shippers with service between ocean ports in the Los Angeles basin and the Southwest.

Total October volume, at 1,515,201 units, fell a mere 0.4% annually, continuing a trend of slimming sequential declines, following 4.0%, 7.5% and 9.8% annual declines, in September, August and July, respectively.

Rail carloads, at 224,415, fell 5.2% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 260,342 units, rose 1.5%.

J.B. Hunt and BNSF have launched a new intermodal service to address the service-sensitive highway freight needs of customer supply chains.

The companies said that the new service, entitled Quantum, accommodates what they called the service-sensitive highway freight needs of customer supply chains. And they added that the main objective of the service is on providing the consistency, agility, and speed required to move sensitive freight via rail, with a specific customer focus on service expectations, transit requirements, and operational procedures.

Rail carloads, at 921,951, were off 0.3%, or 2,921 carloads, annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 1,075,731 units, rose 2.2%, or 23,201 units, annually.

Rail carloads, at 225,405, were off 2.0% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 267,376 units, increased 2.8%.

Rail carloads, at 233,768, saw a 3.6% annual increase, and intermodal containers and trailers, at 265,449, rose 2.5% annually.

The current state of rail carload and intermodal markets can be viewed as a “good news-bad news story” in a few different ways. That was the word from Todd Tranausky, Vice President of Rail and Intermodal, for Indianapolis-based freight transportation consultancy FTR.

A focus on continued service improvements and making railroads a more desirable place to work were key themes presented by Joe Hinrichs, President of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Class I railroad CSX Transportation at last week’s NEARS (Northeast Association of Railroad Shippers) Fall Conference held in Portland, Maine.

Rail carloads, at 921,716, saw a 2.3%, or 20,754 carloads, annual increase. Intermodal containers and trailers, at 1,008,896 units, rose 0.7%, or 7,096 units.

Three of the nation’s top market analysts examine the current state of the freight railroad and intermodal markets, including a look at pricing, service levels, ompetition with other modes, and the slow—but steady—implementation of automation.