Rail Freight

Carload volume—at 302,500—was up 2.1 percent annually and was behind the week ending October 1, which hit 312,170 carloads, and is the highest weekly carload mark for 2011, according to AAR data.

Earlier this week, Class I rail carrier CSX announced that work it has made significant progress with its National Gateway project, with work either completed or construction underway at one-third of the National Gateway’s clearance projects.

At a time when capacity tightness in some ways has become the new normal, the differences between fixed and variable capacity are different than they used to be in some ways, according to FTR Associates Partner Noel Perry.

Intermodal sets 2011 weekly record for second straight week.

The Western Coal Traffic League filed a petition with the Department of Transportation’s Surface Transportation Board (STB) requesting that the STB issue an order that would adjust the Uniform Railroad Costing System of Class I railroad carrier BNSF Railway Company.

Carload volume—at 305,133—was up 1.1 percent annually and approached the week ending April 2, which hit 305,905 carloads, marking the highest weekly carload tally since the end of 2008.

Carload volume—at 299,914—was down 1.4 percent year-over-year and was up compared to last week’s 278,382.

Carload volume—at 278,382—was up 0.1 percent year-over-year and was down compared to the previous three weeks.

August carloads—at 1,482,570—were down 0.3 percent annually. Intermodal—at 1,179,838 trailers and containers—was up 0.4 percent compared to August 2010.

Carload volume—299,943—was down 0.8 percent annually and was down compared to 300,521 during the week of August 20.

Class I rail carrier CSX recently announced it has invested $59 million in an intermodal terminal expansion in Columbus, Ohio, which is part of the company’s National Gateway initiative.

Carload volume—at 300,521—was up 1.1 percent annually, and it was ahead of the week ending August 13, which hit 292,266 and the week ending August 6 at 287,329.

The proposed changes would provide greater flexibility to railroads and the FRA in assessing the need for PTC without adversely affecting the safety of America’s rail lines.

Carload volume—at 292,266—was down 1.42 percent annually and ahead of the week ending August 6 at 287,329.

July carloads—at 1,111,682—were down 1 percent annually. Intermodal—at 895,649 trailers and containers—was up 1.3 percent compared to July 2010.