Grain shippers seek fluid network in and out of Pacific Northwest

Sep 01, 2021 at 10:26 AM CST
As the U.S. harvest season kicks into high gear over the next month, grain shippers will be watching whether freight railroads’ train speeds will be able to keep up with a potentially sudden ramp-up in demand, according to shippers at the recent annual National Grain Car Council meeting hosted by the Surface Transportation Board. Low grain demand over the summer has masked velocity issues, grain shippers said. However, the rail network could potentially find itself stressed over the next 30 to 45 days not just because there will be more shuttle trains carrying grain, but also because many of those trains are heading to the Pacific Northwest.

Sep 01, 2021 at 10:26 AM CST

As the U.S. harvest season kicks into high gear over the next month, grain shippers will be watching whether freight railroads’ train speeds will be able to keep up with a potentially sudden ramp-up in demand, according to shippers at the recent annual National Grain Car Council meeting hosted by the Surface Transportation Board. Low grain demand over the summer has masked velocity issues, grain shippers said. However, the rail network could potentially find itself stressed over the next 30 to 45 days not just because there will be more shuttle trains carrying grain, but also because many of those trains are heading to the Pacific Northwest.