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During the second quarter, rail-car orders and deliveries rose for the 3rd- and 10th-straight quarter, respectively, according to the American Railway Car Institute Committee (ARCI) of the Railway Supply Institute. Orders and deliveries also outpaced what had been strong first-quarter figures.

Second-quarter orders totaling 19,132 units and deliveries totaling 17,914 units increased 9 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively, compared with the first quarter. Orders were driven by rising demand for aluminum gondolas, tank cars and five-unit intermodal platforms. During the first half, car orders totaled 36,605 units and deliveries reached 33,695 units.

The second-quarter backlog of cars ordered but not yet delivered totaled 60,544 units, a slight increase compared with first quarter’s 59,416 units. The backlog previously stood at 58,677 units, 61,052 units and 51,446 units in 2004’s fourth, third and second quarters, respectively.

“Given the first-half orders and deliveries, and steady level of the backlog, rail-car manufacturers continue to be optimistic about the remainder of 2005 and look forward to continued steady demand for freight cars into 2006,” said ARCI spokesman Tom Simpson in a prepared statement.

ARCI comprises companies that build more than 90 percent of the freight cars delivered in North America.