Rail Capacity Report – 2/28/2023

RailState Rail Capacity Report February 28, 2023 to March 6, 2023

Freight Rail Capacity for Trains Moving Westbound to Port of Vancouver

We’ve been reporting on rail capacity westbound into the Port of Vancouver for the last six months. For most of this period, the railways have appeared to be doing well with westbound movements toward Vancouver. That pattern continued during the past week. During the week ended 3/6/2023, the train volumes westbound into Vancouver averaged 30.1 trains/day, an increase of 2.0 trains/day from the average of 28.1 trains/day during the week ended 2/20. This was significantly above the average of 25.7 trains/day that is required to move the typical volume of all commodities.

Observations for Week (2/28/2023 – 3/6/2023):

The 7-day moving average number of trains moving westbound past Chilliwack was 30.1 trains/day, significantly above the average of 25.7 trains/day that is required to move the typical volume of all commodities.
The moving average number of trains/day was above 25.7 trains/day for all 7 days during this past week.
During the week ended 3/6/2023, the 7 day moving average for total trains increased by 2.0 trains/day, rising from from 28.1 trains/day as of 2/27 to 30.1 trains/day as of 3/6.

As of 3/6/2023, rail traffic in six of the seven categories we track was at or above its long-term average level. Manifest trains (4.6 trains/day), grain (8.3 trains/day), coal (5.3 trains/day), petroleum (2.6 trains/day), and other traffic (1.3 trains/day), were all above their 2022 average levels. Potash traffic was at its 2022 average level of 1.4 trains/day. Only intermodal traffic (6.7 trains/day) was below its 2022 average level. This is the seventeenth week in a row during which intermodal traffic has been below its long-term average level.

We will continue to monitor the corridor into Vancouver and provide updates on trends we’re seeing.