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 3/20/2023, the train volumes westbound into Vancouver averaged 29.9 trains/day, an increase of 0.3 trains/day from the average of 29.6 trains/day during the week ended 3/13. This was significantly above the average of 25.7 trains/day that is required to move the typical volume of all commodities.
Freight Rail Capacity Observations for Week (3/14/2023 – 3/20/2023):
- The 7-day moving average number of trains moving westbound past Chilliwack was 29.9 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 3/20/2023, the 7 day moving average for total trains increased by 0.3 trains/day, rising from 29.6 trains/day as of 3/13 to 29.9 trains/day as of 3/20.
As of 3/20/2023, rail traffic in five of the seven categories we track was at or above its long-term average level. Manifest trains (5.1 trains/day), grain (7.4 trains/day), coal (5.7 trains/day), and other traffic (1.7 trains/day), were all above their 2022 average levels. Potash traffic was at its 2022 average level of 1.4 trains/day for the third consecutive week. Only intermodal traffic (6.7 trains/day) and petroleum traffic (1.7 trains/day) were below their 2022 average levels.
We will continue to monitor the corridor into Vancouver and provide updates on trends we’re seeing.
Check out last week’s freight rail capacity report.
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