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The Class Is’ third-quarter service-metric report cards are in and six of the large roads receive a failing grade for average train speed. Only Canadian National Railway Co. increased average velocity during the quarter compared with the same 2004 period, raising train speed 3.8 percent to 26.2 mph, according to Smith Barney/Citigroup's latest ground transportation research report.
"CN made similar progress with respect to average terminal dwell time, as third-quarter average time decreased by 10.1 percent to 12.8 hours," said Smith Barney/Citigroup Managing Director and Progressive Railroading columnist Scott Flower in the report. "CN continues to reap benefits from the Intermodal Excellence program, which requires shippers to make reservations for spots on trains, while day-of-the-week pricing encourages the traffic to shift to off-peak days."
During 2005’s first 39 weeks (ending Sept. 30), CN increased average velocity 4.3 percent to 25.5 mph compared with the same 2004 period. For the other Class Is, average train speed stood at 23.2 mph for Kansas City Southern, down 11.8 percent; 23.6 mph for BNSF Railway Co., down 6.4 percent; 22.0 mph for Norfolk Southern Corp., down 4.1 percent; 19.4 mph for CSX Transportation, down 4.0 percent; 21.4 mph for Union Pacific Railroad, down 1.7 percent; and 24.4 mph for Canadian Pacific Railway, down 1.3 percent compared with 2004’s first 39 weeks.
"Performance measures at CSXT deteriorated in the third quarter — average train speed decreased by 2.8 percent to 19.7 mph and average terminal time increased by 0.9 percent," said Flower. "We believe the ONE Plan has not improved the operational metrics at CSXT, but merely stabilized velocity and terminal dwell time from further deterioration."
Excluding CN and UP, all the Class Is continue to operate more cars on line compared with the same 2004 period. Through 39 weeks, KCS’ cars on line increased 9.1 percent to 27,685 units; NS’, 5.1 percent to 192,820 units; BNSF’s, 4.0 percent to 208,111 units; CPR’s, 1.5 percent to 67,863 units; and CSXT’s, 0.3 percent to 234,087 units compared with the same 2004 period. CN’s and UP’s cars on line decreased 1.5 percent to 110,514 units and 1.1 percent to 319,445 units, respectively.
Meanwhile, CN, UP, CPR and KCS continue to lead the pack in average terminal dwell times. Through 39 weeks, CN’s system-wide average of 13.3 hours dropped 7.5 percent, UP's average of 28.4 hours decreased 6.2 percent, KCS’ average of 25.9 hours declined 5.5 percent and CPR’s average of 29.1 hours fell 0.8 percent compared with 2004’s first 39 weeks. NS’ average time increased 4.7 percent to 23.3 hours, CSXT’s average rose 4.6 percent to 29.8 hours and BNSF’s average went up 1.5 percent to 10.0 hours.
10/10/2005
Rail News: Rail Industry Trends
CN only Class I to boost train speed in the third quarter, Smith Barney/Citigroup says
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The Class Is’ third-quarter service-metric report cards are in and six of the large roads receive a failing grade for average train speed. Only Canadian National Railway Co. increased average velocity during the quarter compared with the same 2004 period, raising train speed 3.8 percent to 26.2 mph, according to Smith Barney/Citigroup's latest ground transportation research report.
"CN made similar progress with respect to average terminal dwell time, as third-quarter average time decreased by 10.1 percent to 12.8 hours," said Smith Barney/Citigroup Managing Director and Progressive Railroading columnist Scott Flower in the report. "CN continues to reap benefits from the Intermodal Excellence program, which requires shippers to make reservations for spots on trains, while day-of-the-week pricing encourages the traffic to shift to off-peak days."
During 2005’s first 39 weeks (ending Sept. 30), CN increased average velocity 4.3 percent to 25.5 mph compared with the same 2004 period. For the other Class Is, average train speed stood at 23.2 mph for Kansas City Southern, down 11.8 percent; 23.6 mph for BNSF Railway Co., down 6.4 percent; 22.0 mph for Norfolk Southern Corp., down 4.1 percent; 19.4 mph for CSX Transportation, down 4.0 percent; 21.4 mph for Union Pacific Railroad, down 1.7 percent; and 24.4 mph for Canadian Pacific Railway, down 1.3 percent compared with 2004’s first 39 weeks.
"Performance measures at CSXT deteriorated in the third quarter — average train speed decreased by 2.8 percent to 19.7 mph and average terminal time increased by 0.9 percent," said Flower. "We believe the ONE Plan has not improved the operational metrics at CSXT, but merely stabilized velocity and terminal dwell time from further deterioration."
Excluding CN and UP, all the Class Is continue to operate more cars on line compared with the same 2004 period. Through 39 weeks, KCS’ cars on line increased 9.1 percent to 27,685 units; NS’, 5.1 percent to 192,820 units; BNSF’s, 4.0 percent to 208,111 units; CPR’s, 1.5 percent to 67,863 units; and CSXT’s, 0.3 percent to 234,087 units compared with the same 2004 period. CN’s and UP’s cars on line decreased 1.5 percent to 110,514 units and 1.1 percent to 319,445 units, respectively.
Meanwhile, CN, UP, CPR and KCS continue to lead the pack in average terminal dwell times. Through 39 weeks, CN’s system-wide average of 13.3 hours dropped 7.5 percent, UP's average of 28.4 hours decreased 6.2 percent, KCS’ average of 25.9 hours declined 5.5 percent and CPR’s average of 29.1 hours fell 0.8 percent compared with 2004’s first 39 weeks. NS’ average time increased 4.7 percent to 23.3 hours, CSXT’s average rose 4.6 percent to 29.8 hours and BNSF’s average went up 1.5 percent to 10.0 hours.
