(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.

April 16, 2023: Report Synopsis

 

Loads on Wheels

 

Consistent with the trend seen throughout the week, average daily system loads on wheels declined modestly last week but still averaged more than 9,000 cars per day for the 7th straight week.

CP led the decline last week seeing average daily loads on wheels dip about 5% while CN saw a slight increase.

 

Cars Not Moving

 

Very high counts at the start of the week resulted in average daily system idle car counts increasing last week as compared to the prior week averaging more than 1,500 cars per day.

In somewhat of change from recent times, CN led the increase last week while CP counts remained relatively flat week over week at more than 900 cars per day.

 

Port Unloads

 

West coast unloads dipped notably last week averaging 841 cars per day – 16% lower than the prior week – with lower unloads reported at both west coast ports.

Thunder Bay unloads also declined last week averaging less than 300 cars per day driven by a slowdown in unloads reported Friday and Saturday.

 

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.