Freight Rail Traffic Plunges: Haunting Pictures of Transportation Recession

Wolf Street ^ | Wolf Richter | 4 May 2016

[Sgt_Schultze]

292 Union Pacific engines idled in Arizona Desert

Total US rail traffic in April plunged 11.8% from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported today. Carloads of bulk commodities such as coal, oil, grains, and chemicals plummeted 16.1% to 944,339 units.

- snip -

Only five of the 20 commodity categories saw gains. Of the decliners, coal was the biggest. But petroleum products also plunged 25%, and grain mill products dropped 7%. Even without coal, carloads were down 3% year-over-year.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Thanks Obama

[I want the USA back]

One of bammy’s goals: mission accomplished.

[SaveFerris]

Engines pulling engines. Or are these the types that need to be upgraded as per emissions?

(I don’t actually know)

http://wolfstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/US-railroads-Union-Pacific-engines-idled-2016-05-031.jpg

[Balding_Eagle]

Rail traffic has plunged, no doubt, but those look like older locomotived.

I think the newer models came in at least 15 years ago.

[Chgogal]

FYI....not good.

[DannyTN]

Could this have more to do with the price of oil having dropped and making transportation alternatives to rail more attractive?

Are we seeing the same drop in all freight?

[dynoman]

WY coal is just about dead. There use to be a LOT of that shipped. Thank the EPA regional haze ruling for that - it shut down a lot of coal plants in the east.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Dunno. Just posting another perspective. FR has so many experienced in so many industries, this stuff is usually hashed out by the knowing folks who will land on this thread. Just thought I'd post something not seen in the democrat press.

There's another interesting article there about Google's advertising model maybe collapsing. Not being an insider, I can't say for sure, but another interesting read.

[Parley Baer]

I am not totally up to date on the locomotives but they look like GE-8’s maybe some dash 9’s. Also it looks like a SD70 in group a little further up.

[PIF]

He takes a bow with his even larger plunge of worldwide shipping ...

[b4its2late]

His legacy will haunt us for decades.

[hadaclueonce]

Coal

Don't come bitching to me when your lights go out.

[CedarDave]

[Uversabound]

Coal
Don’t come bitching to me when your lights go out.

Hey Kids guess what makes the electricity for your fancy electric car? DUH....

And what will you do with that battery when it runs out? Hmmm did not think that far ahead did ya?

[1Old Pro]

The 7.5 year Obama recession keeps rolling down the tracks.

[hadaclueonce]

Hey Kids guess what makes the electricity for your fancy electric car? DUH....

Electricity comes out of the plug...doh.... /s

[bicyclerepair]

Lib-tards can’t see beyond the nose on their face.

[Uversabound]

Do you think the Green, Globull warming narrative can be reversed?

I am hopeful.

Worth repeating that no, conservatives are not saying throw garbage out your windows for gosh sakes!

Everything is extreme. I grew up with Save A Watt. Remember? Give A Hoot Dont Pollute! Happy Mother's Day. Have a great weekend Freeps!

[Pontiac]

Engines pulling engines. Or are these the types that need to be upgraded as per emissions?

My guess is that they are not going anywhere but are on a siding sitting idle in storage.

[PeteyBoy]

That’s quite a sighting. My train watching/bird watching buddy died about a year ago. He would have loved to see these.