According to the most recent USDAGrain Transportation Report, weekly grain carloads have generally declined since late January.
According to data from theSurface Transportation Board, the seven Class I railroads originated 20,572 grain carloads in the week ending March 18 — down 20% from the prior 5-year average for that week.
在班上我铁路、c最大跌幅ame fromBNSF Railway(BNSF), which originated only 8,332 grain carloads — just over two-thirds of the previous 5-year average for the same week.
Inclement weather-related impacts
Some reductions may be due to record snow and rain totals in portions of the western U.S. this winter.
Examples of weather-related impacts to the railroads include a March 15train derailment in Arizona on BNSF’s Southern Transcon route(from Chicago to California), as well as two washouts on the BNSF mainline near Bakersfield, California.
Despite the dip in grain carloads since January, the increase in unshipped balances andlarge export sales to Chinapotentially signal more car loadings in the future.
