I am one who enjoys trains, obviously. I don’t get upset when the gates go down and I have to wait. But I don’t have a scanner and spend the weekend trackside. I say this because I hope this is not a strange question. Why are there so many autoracks just sitting around? I live in the St. Louis area, on the Illinois side, and see more autoracks just sitting, some sitting so long on unused track that they have good size trees growing between the cars. I have even see a few cars that have been overgrown with vines that they there isn’t much railcar left to see. Something interesting is that nearly all seem to be associate with UP. These can be found in yards, unused passing sidings, abandoned lines and old industrial sidings. Some of them, especially in the Roxana, Illinois area, are articulated and look brand new. Does anyone have any idea why there are literally a hundred of these things just sitting around rusting away?
I have heard the reason is there is a slowdown in in the auto industry this time of year due to re-tooling for the next model year. Right now the exWP reno branch has several miles of autoracks stored on it.
The BNSF also stores autoracks this time of year on the shorter sideings in the Columbia river george.
I’m guessing that most of it is seasonal…the automakers are winding down the 06 model year, so the rail cars wont be needed until the '07s start leaving the production line. Insofar as the older, abandoned cars go, I guess there is not much of an aftermarket for the older, or possibly damaged ones…
I saw lots of auto racks in the BNSF yard in Duluth recently. What struck me was the variety of railroad names on them. I think there was one from every Class 1, and half a dozen fallen flags as well.
I originally thought it might be seasonal until they kept sitting there. There is a stretch of unused rail between Pontoon Beach and Glen Carbon Illinois that was full for at least 3 years. Also, I know the “new” articulated ones in Roxana have been there for at least 1 1/2 years.
I’ll venture a guess of over supply. Imports from overseas have fallen with the manufacturing being done here. I’d bet the UP and BN shipments were mostly cars from the “Ports”.
Who can afford to buy a new car when it costs so much to fill the car that you already have with gas? I think that a lot of Americans can’t afford a new car payment plus the cost for keeping the tank full.
CC
Click! 
Guess that time frame co-incides with the down turns in the auto sales and reports of declining profits, etc. Perhaps the auto makers are only selling smaller cars, so they can get more into each rack!
gm lost 3.5 bil. this quarter so sales are down, with high gas who can afford new high auto pays?
I think you would be suprised by the number of people buying cars. Last month I got rid of my wifes SUV for a new car, and I think that there are a lot of people doing the same. BTW, GM isn’t losing money because they are not selling cars, they are losing money because they are not selling cars with high mark ups, ie SUV’s
Bert
Entirely possible and still a case of over supply concerning equipment.[(-D][;)]