RailState, the rail industry’s only provider of real-time rail network visibility, independently tracks all freight rail movements across Canada in real-time.
This report covers freight movements into the major Canadian ports. It excludes intermodal traffic, which is covered in a separate Intermodal Report.
Western Ports
Port of Vancouver
Despite August’s work stoppage, overall freight volume westbound to the Port of Vancouver was mostly unchanged from July, which saw sharply lower volumes on CN due to the Jasper Fire shutdown.
The biggest % changes came from Grain Unit trains, which increased 31.4%. Grain volume was 17.5% higher than a year ago.
Other train types showed mixed performance.
- Automotive: +14.3%
- Coal Unit: -17.3%
- Manifest: -4.2%
- Tank Car Unit trains: +29.7%
- Potash trains: -5.1%
- Sulphur Unit: -46.2%
CPKC’s share of total carload volume into the Port of Vancouver region increased fell from 57.4% in July to 51.8% in August. CPKC typically has higher volumes on this route but the work stoppage on CPKC extended to four days compared to just over a day on CN.
Prince Rupert
Freight volume to the Port of Prince Rupert fell 4.4% from July, and was down 9.1% from a year ago.
The change in train volumes from July included:
- Coal Unit: 12.5%
- Grain Unit: -40.5%
- Manifest: +14.3%
- Tank Car Unit trains: +12.5%
Eastern Ports
Halifax
Train volume to Halifax increased by 13.8% in August. All train types saw increases in volume.
- Automotive: +8.0%
- Grain Unit: +13.3%
- Manifest: +33.3%
Port of Sydney
Train volume to the Port of Sydney decreased by 3 trains in August (-23.1%).
Port of St. John
RailState recently added coverage for the Port of St. John, which sees all manifest volume. Train volume to the Port of St. John decreased by 11 trains in August (-25.6%).
The carload mix for the Port of St. John was:
- Box Cars: 24.1%
- Centerbeam Flatcars: 22.8%
- Hoppers: 3.7%
- Gondolas: 15.7%
- Tank Cars: 30.5%
- Vehicular Flatcars: 3.2%
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