RTA: Crosstie production rose, purchases held steady in October

Crosstie production in October cranked up 3.6 percent to 2.6 million units, while purchases remained fairly steady — down just 0.8 percent — at 1.9 million units compared with September levels, according to the Railway Tie Association (RTA).

Compared with year-ago levels, production climbed 28.6 percent, but purchases fell 2.3 percent. Production through the first 10 months of 2015 soared 32.5 percent, and purchases rose 5.4 percent compared with the same 2014 period, RTA officials said in their October market report.

A nine-month decline in purchases since August 2014 had switched to an upswing by October's end, and purchases were up at a 1.9 percent annual rate, the report stated. Starting in December 2014, production has been in a strong uptrend: It was up 28.9 percent from the year-ago level as of October's end.