/ By Charity Boughner / Railroad/ • • • / 0 Comments

Railcar Orders Are Up

tank car
Photo by: Sean Lamb

According to the Railway Supply Institute’s American Railway Car Institue (ARCI) Committee, railcar orders were up almost 92 percent  in first quarter 2013 from comparable deliveries in the first quarter of 2012.  However deliveries in the first quarter were down 29 percent compared to last year’s first quarter deliveries.

Tank cars accounted for 81 percent of total railcar orders in the first quarter of 2013, this is the highest number of tank car orders since the ARCI started providing data by car type in the first quarter of 2007.  The analysts from KeyBanc Capital Marketing, Steve Barge and Tejas Petal, say the increase may be reflective of both the explosive growth in shale oil production as well as the weak volume environment for other commodity types

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2013 Freight Railcar Review

In Railinc’s North American Freight Railcar Review 2013, which provides an industry overview of the North American railcar fleet from January 01, 2012 through December 31, 2012, Railinc reported the size of the freight railcar fleet increased by 1 percent in 2012. 

The annual review also showed that the average age of cars in fleets declined for the first time since 2008, going from 20.1 years to 20 years.  A majority of the new cars that were added had gross rail loads of 28,000 lbs.  The switch to larger cars helps reduce costs and ease logistics challenges. Read More

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2013 Freight Railcar Review

In Railinc’s North American Freight Railcar Review 2013, which provides an industry overview of the North American railcar fleet from January 01, 2012 through December 31, 2012, Railinc reported the size of the freight railcar fleet increased by 1 percent in 2012. 

The annual review also showed that the average age of cars in fleets declined for the first time since 2008, going from 20.1 years to 20 years.  A majority of the new cars that were added had gross rail loads of 28,000 lbs.  The switch to larger cars helps reduce costs and ease logistics challenges. Read More

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Class I Employment Up

According to the figures released by the Surface Transportation Board, Class I railroad employment went up 0.90 percent in February 2013 compared to Februrary 2012.  All categories showed a year-over-year gain except Transportation (train and engine) which was down 0.38 percent from 2012.  The remaining categories were as follows: Executives, Officials, and Staff Officials up 3.46 percent, Professional and administrative up 2.40 percent, Maintenance-of-Way and Structures up 1.48 percent, Maintenance of Ewuipment and Stores up 1.46 percent, and Transportation (other than train and engine) up 1.25 percent. Read More

/ By Charity Boughner / Railroad/ • • • • • • • • • • / 0 Comments

Class I Employment Up

According to the figures released by the Surface Transportation Board, Class I railroad employment went up 0.90 percent in February 2013 compared to Februrary 2012.  All categories showed a year-over-year gain except Transportation (train and engine) which was down 0.38 percent from 2012.  The remaining categories were as follows: Executives, Officials, and Staff Officials up 3.46 percent, Professional and administrative up 2.40 percent, Maintenance-of-Way and Structures up 1.48 percent, Maintenance of Ewuipment and Stores up 1.46 percent, and Transportation (other than train and engine) up 1.25 percent. Read More

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Rail’s Safest Year on Record

In their March 11 press release the Association of American Railroads announced that 2012 was the safest year in the rail industry history according to the newest statics released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).  The previous record was set in 2011.  The train accident rate per million train miles was down 19 percent, the employee casualty rate was down 9 percent, and the grade crossing collision rate was down 8 percent in 2012 compared to 2011.  Read More

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Rail’s Safest Year on Record

In their March 11 press release the Association of American Railroads announced that 2012 was the safest year in the rail industry history according to the newest statics released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).  The previous record was set in 2011.  The train accident rate per million train miles was down 19 percent, the employee casualty rate was down 9 percent, and the grade crossing collision rate was down 8 percent in 2012 compared to 2011.  Read More

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Freight Railroads Invest in 2013

According to the announcement made by the Association of American Railroads on February 6, 2013 the nation’s major freight railroads plan to invest an estimated $24.5 billion to build, maintain and upgrade America’s rail network.  These investments will ensure freight railroads can continue to deliver for the nation’s economy. Read More