intermodal rail

Commentary: Belay that RR intermodal market hype

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

There have been lots of surging intermodal volumes reported these past two months. So, intermodal rail is coming back, correct? All is right with the intermodal rail world. It is sunny skies and good news ahead.

Hold that thought. Ask one simple question. What is your actual level of confidence about that optimistic projection? Is it sustainable?

Is there 100%...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-belay-that-rr-intermodal-market-hype

US weekly rail traffic almost at last year’s levels

A photograph of a Kansas City Southern train traveling away from a city center.

U.S. rail volumes are still lower compared to last year, although that gap narrowed last week.

The U.S. freight railroads originated 521,956 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Sept. 19, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). This is 1.3% lower than the same period in 2019.

Intermodal traffic helped lift the overall total, with volumes up 6.3% to 295,269 intermodal containers and trailers. But carloads are still down compared with a year ago. 

Weekly U.S. carloads...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-weekly-rail-traffic-almost-at-last-years-levels

Weekly US rail traffic falls on holiday comps

A photograph of a Kansas City Southern train traveling by an industrial yard.

Weekly U.S. rail traffic slipped nearly 10% in a week that was shorter than usual because of Labor Day.

U.S. rail volumes for the week ending Saturday totaled 474,785 carloads and intermodal units, a 9.9% drop compared with the same period in 2019, according to the Association of American Railroads. Labor Day was Sept. 7. 

Intermodal traffic was lower amid the holiday weekend, breaking the upward trend of the last few weeks. Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes slipped 5% to 260,643 containers and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/weekly-us-rail-traffic-falls-on-holiday-comps

US weekly intermodal volumes push higher

A photograph of a tank car and a hopper traveling by a railroad crossing.

Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes were up by nearly a quarter last week amid increased activity for domestic and international containers and trailers.

U.S. freight railroads moved 287,339 intermodal containers and trailers for the week that ended Saturday, a 24.5% increase compared with the same period in 2019, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). 

Although intermodal volumes have been trending higher in recent weeks, last week’s year-over-year increase may also be partly...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-weekly-intermodal-volumes-push-higher

Progress continues on construction of CSX intermodal terminals

A photograph of a CSX train at a rail crossing. There are town buildings nearby the train tracks.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed back construction timelines, Eastern U.S. railroad CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) is forging ahead with the construction of two new intermodal terminals, one in Rocky Mount in eastern North Carolina and the other in North Baltimore in northwest Ohio.

CSX expects to complete construction of both the North Carolina project, known as the Carolina Connector or CCX, and the northwest Ohio project in early 2021.

CCX will be located on the CSX network and near the Triangle...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/progress-continues-on-construction-of-csx-intermodal-terminals

US intermodal traffic higher for second consecutive week

A photograph of a train

Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes rose year-over-year for the second week in a row, according to the Association of American Railroads.

The increase comes as the ports of Long Beach and Oakland in California reported that imports were up year-over-year in July.

U.S. freight railroads originated 278,210 intermodal units for the week of Aug. 15, a 1.9% increase from the same period in 2019. On a sequential basis, intermodal volumes were roughly flat, rising 0.4%.

But U.S. carloads are still lower than...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-intermodal-traffic-higher-for-second-consecutive-week

US weekly intermodal traffic goes positive for first time in months

A photograph of trains at a rail yard. There are tall city buildings in the background.

U.S. weekly intermodal volumes were nearly 2% higher last week, ending a months-long slump where traffic was lower compared with year-ago levels.

The U.S. operations of the freight railroads originated 277,054 intermodal containers and trailers for the week ending August 8, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The total is a 1.9% increase from the same period in 2019 and a 2.5% increase from the week ending August 1.

However, weekly carloads still posted double-digit...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-weekly-intermodal-traffic-goes-positive-for-first-time-in-months

Coal, energy drive down U.S. rail traffic in July

A photograph of a double-stacked intermodal train parked at a rail yard.

Systemic declines for coal plus a sluggish energy market contributed to an almost 18% decline in U.S. carloads in July, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. carload volumes in July totaled 1.04 million, down 17.6% from July 2019, while intermodal volumes slipped 1.4% to nearly 1.3 million containers and trailers. Total U.S. traffic was 2.34 million carloads and intermodal units, a 9.3% drop from July 2019.

“The old saying, ‘You have to play the hand you’re dealt’ applies...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/coal-energy-drive-down-us-rail-traffic-in-july

Norfolk Southern seeks to boost its intermodal market share

A photograph of a Norfolk Southern train on a train track. There are tulips next to the track.

Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) is planning to add more intermodal service products in the southern U.S. as a way to take volume away from the trucking market, executives said during the company’s second-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, July 29.

Those products, which could be launched as early as the third quarter of this year, include products between the U.S. Southwest and the U.S. Southeast, as well as between the U.S. Southeast to the U.S. Northeast, said NS Chief Marketing Officer Alan Shaw.

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/norfolk-southern-seeks-to-boost-its-intermodal-market-share

Weekly U.S. intermodal volumes narrow gap

A photograph of a Union Pacific train in a rail yard.

The gap between this year’s U.S. intermodal volumes and last year’s on a weekly basis is narrowing, with last week’s volumes only 1.7% lower than the same period in 2019.

U.S. intermodal units for the week ending July 18 totaled 266,912 containers and trailers, which is 1.7% lower than the same period a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads.

U.S. carloads are also narrowing their gap, although there is still a double-digit percentage difference between this year and last...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/weekly-u-s-intermodal-volumes-narrow-gap

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