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Crosstie production went up, but purchases came tumbling down in February. Production totaled 2.2 million units, up 7 percent, while purchases totaled 1.7 million units, down 2.7 percent compared with February 2008 levels, according to the Railway Tie Association’s (RTA) monthly market report.

During 2009’s first two months, production jumped 29 percent to 4.2 million units, but purchases were flat at 3.5 million units vs. totals from the same 2008 period.

Meanwhile, 12-month rolling data shows production increased 2.4 percent to 21.2 million ties and purchases rose 4.3 percent to 21 million ties. Inventories increased 1.8 percent to 16.9 million units.

“The inventory-to-sales ratio has increased for the past six months and now stands at 0.81, slightly above the 0.80 five-year average,” RTA officials said in the report.