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Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: Railroads tout infrastructure improvements, more crews as solution to grain shipping delays
I believe this is happy talk because I doubt the railroads realize just how big a crop is coming out of the fields in the next few weeks. On Thursday, the USDA again upped it estimate of the current corn crop to 14.4 billion bushels, and the rails still haven’t moved all of last year’s crop – I see grain trains on a BNSF secondary line nearly daily. Prices are behaving accordingly, from a high of over $8 in early 2013, corn now sells for $3.30.
Locally, unit grain trains often pause more than 24 hours, presumably for lack of available crews.
I believe this is happy talk because I doubt the railroads realize just how big a crop is coming out of the fields in the next few weeks. On Thursday, the USDA again upped it estimate of the current corn crop to 14.4 billion bushels, and the rails still haven’t moved all of last year’s crop – I see grain trains on a BNSF secondary line nearly daily. Prices are behaving accordingly, from a high of over $8 in early 2013, corn now sells for $3.30.
Locally, unit grain trains often pause more than 24 hours, presumably for lack of available crews.
Doesn’t CP own half of the Indiana Harbor Belt?CP can bypass Chicago by sending traffic on the IHB to Eastern connections.
Housing was built on former MILW route.
Wait one sec…these are the same folks in states that vote Republican for smaller government; yet when the private sector can’t deliver they beef to the same government to try to force the private sector to serve their needs??? Hullo! However, I do agree that the crops should be delivered, but let us all try to find a balance as we are one nation, and all our needs need be considered in such policy decisions. You can’t have it both ways.
AND, Winter is coming………soon, very soon!
ALSO, this is when someone usually says we should reactivate the MILW Road route - which I would love to see……
The following may appear anecdotal, but traveling recently from Denver east via Omaha saw traffic on the UP flowing…note the absence of that road mentioned in the above article. Then a stop in Welcome, Minn. where former Milw. and CNW lines run through that little city a mile apart, and where a lashup of UP units sat idling on the CNW and a CSX ditto on the Milw. Prior to that, eastbound from Council Bluffs into Minn. saw one UP unit grain train after another. This may prove nothing, or not, regarding one road’s ability to ship during these times of increading business.
The article mentions routing traffic to interchanges other than Chicago. How about running some of it through Peoria? It doesn’t have the capacity to take a huge chunk, but it could take some. it is served by BNSF, UP, CN, and NS. CP could access it via Iowa Interstate, CSX via TP&W, and KCS via Illinois and Midland. I am sure the regional railroads would welcome more traffic although capacity improvements may be required depending on the volume of the additional traffic.
How much coal does BNSF move into Canada for export?
The BNSF managers have not had any trouble exporting coal, so why can they not get the coal across the USA?
The BNSF managers have not had any trouble exporting coal, so why can they not get the coal across the USA?
There have been complaints about coal shipments.
All railroads have neglected power, personnel, and track for higher profits. I have seen shipping steadily rising with ability steadily declining. The railroads all knew of the increasing rate of retirements and the decline in track and power, yet did nothing proactive. We had trainlines freezing up two days ago! Yet no one pushes for the basics such as properly draining air tanks. If these new managers can’t see it on a computer screen, it is lost on them. As for the shippers, I suspect and fear it will be worse this winter. I hope not.
Landon: Good thinking, as this has already happened in one instance. In late January, Iowa Interstate and Norfolk Southern began interchanging 3 or 4 ethanol trains per week (and corresponding empties) via Peoria instead of Chicago. This is in addition to a weekly coal train.
There has been some mixed carload freight interchanged here as well. The IAIS has really revived the CRI&P’s old Peoria Branch with lots of local and through traffic!