(Regular updates will be available on the Alberta Pulse Growers website.)

Pulse Canada and the CSCA are partners of the Ag Transport Coalition (ATC)*, which tracks performance of the Canadian railway network for the movement of grain.

A new grain network status report has been created to provide stakeholders with comprehensive insight on the performance of the Canadian rail system for the 2020-2021 grain year. The report provides information and data on the status of the rail network as of midnight the previous day.

The railway performance data reported in these reports reflect the performance of rail shipments specifically for grain shippers participating in the Ag Transport Coalition’s railway performance measurement program – estimated to encompass approximately 90-95% of western Canadian originated grain shipments by rail.

September 1, 2021: Report Synopsis

Loads on Wheels

• System loads on wheels increased slightly yesterday for the second consecutive day rising near 5,800 cars on line.

• Yesterday’s increase reflects higher volumes for CP and marginally lower volumes for CN but both railways continue to track ahead of last week’s pace.

Cars Not Moving

• Idle car counts bumped up slightly yesterday reflecting slightly higher counts for CP offset by slightly lower counts for CN.

• Past the half way point of week 5, system idle car counts continue to track 5% lower than last week averaging less than 1,000 cars per day.

Port Unloads

• West coast unloads (264) declined for the second straight day yet continue to out pace last week by nearly 30% at this juncture, consistent with the higher traffic levels seen this week.

• Thunder Bay unloads (112), despite high terminal volumes, declined by half from the prior day.

For more information, go to www.agtransportcoalition.com* The Ag Transportation Coalition is comprised of the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), Pulse Canada, Manitoba Pulse Growers Association (MPGA), Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Inland Terminal Association of Canada (ITAC) and the Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA). All daily network status reports are available on the Pulse Canada website.