Numerous factors are impairing intermodal volume growth. These include blanked sailings, a shift in overall freight demand toward refrigerated, an uncertain outlook for consumer demand and, of course, competition from the highway.
The Greenbrier Companies has developed an innovative new way for railcar customers to inspect build quality: Virtual Sample Railcar™ (VSR), which remotely brings customers into the Greenbrier plant from the convenience of a conference room or home office.
CN announced that, in collaboration with the Halifax Port Authority, stakeholders, ocean carriers and customers, it will offer integrated solutions through its Moncton yard aimed at reducing short-haul trucking in Halifax.
U.S. container imports are on a wild ride. They plunged in March after the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. They bounced back in April when delayed bookings were loaded after China came back online. Beginning in May, they sank again as container carriers “blanked” (canceled) sailings. Now, it looks like there could be at least some momentum in the positive direction.
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended May 16, 2020, and, for this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 416,115 carloads and intermodal units, down 22% compared with the same week last year.
On May 12, IANA (Intermodal Association of North America) offered an interesting look at the North American rail intermodal sector. The webinar featured technical slides shared by Bloomberg Senior Analyst Transportation & Logistics Lee Klaskow and TTX Vice President Fleet Management Company Pat Casey. TTX market development experts John Woodcock and Peter Wolff also participated.
Directors of the ports at Los Angeles and Savannah agree that the second quarter will be tough on port volumes as both facilities cope with blanked (cancelled) sailings. The lower port volumes, coupled with a loose truck market, could be a double whammy for U.S. Class I railroads.
Editor’s Note: The following editorial by Ian Jefferies and Chuck Baker was originally published on May 8 by Morning Consult, a Washington D.C.-based tech company. – William C. Vantuono
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended May 9, 2020, and, for this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 412,549 carloads and intermodal units, down 22.1% compared with the same week last year; total carloads were 185,144 carloads, down 28.4% compared with the same week in 2019; and U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 227,405 containers and trailers, down 16% compared to 2019.
OmniTRAX, an affiliate of The Broe Group, is extending its new Rail-Ready Sites program to the West Virginia branch of the Winchester & Western Railroad (WW).
The Greenbrier Companies (GBX) has amended its 50/50 joint venture agreement with Grupo Industrial Monclova, S.A. De C.V. (GIMSA), its manufacturing partner at Greenbrier GIMSA facilities in Monclova, Mexico. This and other measures aim to help GBX achieve its goal of $1 billion in total liquidity.
