Rail & Intermodal

Total February volume—at 1,248,569 units—fell 7.3% annually. Trailers—at 61,211—saw a 27.6% annual decline, and domestic containers—at 611,460—were down 4.3%. All domestic equipment, which is comprised of trailers and domestic containers, were down 7.0%, to 672,671. ISO, or international, containers—at 575,898—dropped 7.6%.

Rail carloads—at 229,246—fell 1.5% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 229,383—fell 13.0%.

The long-awaited decision regarding the acquisition of Kansas City Railway Company (KCS) by Canadian Pacific (CP) reached its expected outcome today, with the Surface Transportation Board (STB), an independent adjudicatory and economic-regulatory agency charged by Congress with resolving railroad rate and service disputes and reviewing proposed railroad mergers, saying it has approved the $31 billion deal, which will go into effect on April 14.

February’s shipment reading—at 1.167—was down 0.3% annually, up against an easy annual comparison, while rising 3.8% over January’s 1.124 reading. And the February expenditures reading—at 4.020—was off 9.7% annually, while seeing a 1.9% decline, from January to February.

Logistics Management (LM) Group News Editor Jeff Berman recently spoke with Matt Muenster, Chief Economist for Green Bay, Wisc.-based Breakthrough, an innovator in transportation management, dedicated to creating transparent and fair strategies for the world’s leading shippers. Muenster provided Berman with an overview of steps shippers need to take and consider, relating to inventory management, and the impact of key economic indicators on freight volumes, among others.

Rail carloads—at 237,413—fell 1.0% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 236,778—fell 11.1%.

Atlanta-based Class I railroad carrier Norfolk Southern (NS) rolled out a six-point plan to “immediately enhance the safety of its operations.” The company said that this plan is based on preliminary findings made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) after an NS train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3.

Rail carloads—at 905,744—were down 1.6%, or 15,101 units—compared to February 2021. Intermodal containers and trailers—at 943,979—were off 8.4%, or 86,351 units, annually.

A change is coming at the top for Omaha, Neb.-based Class I railroad carrier Union Pacific (UP), with the company today providing an update “on the status and timing of the Board of Directors’ active leadership succession planning process.

Rail carloads—at 233,382—saw a 1.6% annual decline, and intermodal containers and trailers—at 240,590—fell 10.2% annually.

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) issued a memorandum on the situation, replete with information on the current situation and adding that “railroads take their responsibility to move goods critical to the economy safely across the country seriously.”

Rail carloads—at 216,700—were off 0.9% annually, and intermodal containers and trailers—232,886—were off 2.9%.

For the fourth quarter, IANA reported that total intermodal volume—at 4,237,605 units—were off compared to the fourth quarter 2021. Total calendar year 2022 volume—at 17,716,445 units—were down 3.9% compared to 2021.

Rail carloads—at 923,696—increased 2.2%, or 19,827 carloads, annually, said AAR. Intermodal containers and trailers—at 1,843,624—fell 3.2%, or 61,616 units—annually, for its lowest January tally since 2013.

The hearing, which is entitled “The State of Transportation Infrastructure and Supply Chain Challenges," features leadership from various national organizations, including: Chris Spear, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Trucking Associations; Ian Jefferies, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of American Railroads; Jeff Firth, Vice President, Hamilton Construction, on behalf of Associated General Contractors of America; Roger Guenther, Executive Director, Port Houston; and Greg Regan, President, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO.