ARCI: Rail-car orders climbed, deliveries dropped in Q1

In the first quarter, rail-car orders totaled 24,050 units compared with 14,865 units in fourth-quarter 2013 and 23,901 units in first-quarter 2013, according to the American Railway Car Institute Committee (ARCI) of the Railway Supply Institute.

Orders also previously totaled 12,753 units in third-quarter 2013 and 14,850 units in second-quarter 2013.

Rail-car deliveries in the first quarter fell to 13,954 units from 15,776 units in the fourth quarter last year. But the first-quarter total bested 2013 figures from the third quarter (12,647 units), second quarter (12,511 units) and first quarter (11,952 units), ARCI data shows.

Meanwhile, the car backlog as of April 1 stood at 81,927 units versus 72,937 units on Dec. 31, 2013. The backlog previously totaled 73,848 units on Oct. 1, 2013; 73,706 units on July 1, 2013; and 71,704 cars on April 1, 2013.