(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.

May 15, 2022: Report Synopsis

Loads on Wheels

A brief uptick in volumes at the end of the week notwithstanding, a system loads on wheels declined last week for the 3rd straight week averaging less than 3,800 cars per day.

As was the case all week, the decline reflects lower volumes for both CN and CP with each averaging only 1,800 cars on line per day last week.

Cars Not Moving

A consistent downward trend for much of last week led to a 5th straight week of decline for idle car counts – at less than 600 cars per day, 25% lower than the prior week.

The week over week improvement reflected improvements for each of CN and CP.

Port Unloads

West coast unloads declined last week for the second straight week averaging 329 cars per day – the lowest level of unloads seen in the last seven weeks.

Thunder Bay unloads at 132 cars per day also declined week over week with the Port also posting its lowest unloads in the last seven weeks.

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.