Railcar backlogs turning upward as sand, grain shipments slow

Aug 21, 2019 at 11:50 AM CST
The number of railcars sitting idle is climbing to multi-month highs, reflecting the downturn in freight and transportation demand. Nowhere is that more evident than in dry bulk commodities, with some markets likely facing structural shifts into permanently lower demand. Some 56,425 railcars have been put into storage since January 2019. This brings the total railcars in storage close to 350,000, “which is definitely on the high side,” said Martin Lew, Chief Executive Officer of online railcar storage, leasing and purchasing marketplace Commtrex.

Aug 21, 2019 at 11:50 AM CST

The number of railcars sitting idle is climbing to multi-month highs, reflecting the downturn in freight and transportation demand. Nowhere is that more evident than in dry bulk commodities, with some markets likely facing structural shifts into permanently lower demand. Some 56,425 railcars have been put into storage since January 2019. This brings the total railcars in storage close to 350,000, “which is definitely on the high side,” said Martin Lew, Chief Executive Officer of online railcar storage, leasing and purchasing marketplace Commtrex.