Crosstie purchases, production climbed in October

In October, crosstie purchases climbed 14.3 percent to nearly 2 million units and production rose 8.3 percent to 2.05 million units compared with September levels, according to the Railway Tie Association's (RTA) monthly market report. But on a year-over-year basis, purchases tumbled 13.5 percent and production dipped 1.2 percent.

The tie inventory at October's end totaled 15.6 million units versus 15.5 million units at September's end, while the inventory-to-sales ratio nudged up from 0.65 as of Sept. 30 to 0.66 on Oct. 31.

Through 2014's first 10 months, production totaled 17 million ties, decreasing 6.2 percent from its year-ago level, and purchases totaled nearly 20 million ties, declining 5.7 percent.

Meanwhile, 12-month rolling data shows production (at 20.2 million units) increased 8.3 percent and purchases (at 23.5 million units) climbed 14.3 percent from 12-month levels as of September's end, RTA officials said in the report. But compared with year-ago figures, rolling purchases and production were down 13.5 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.