(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 26, 2021: Report Synopsis

Loads on Wheels

• Consistent with the pattern seen throughout the week last week, daily average loads on wheels rose for the 6th straight week averaging more than 9,000 cars per day.

• In a slight divergence from recent weeks last week’s increase reflected higher counts for CN with a nominal drop off for CP from the prior week.

Cars Not Moving

• System idle car counts recovered from an early week spike last week to finish out the week averaging 1,104 cars per day, marginally better than the prior week.

• We begin week 9 with a slight increase in idle car counts which jumped up on Friday last week and remain above 1,100 cars today.

Port Unloads

• West coast unloads saw their best week in several months averaging 960 cars per day last week with improved unloads at both west coast ports.

• Thunder Bay, at more than 290 unloads per day last week also saw its best week in a number of months.

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.