Skip to content

Daily Grain Network Status – April 18, 2023 APR 19 2023 | Producers | Blog Post

(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 18, 2023: Report Synopsis

 

Loads on Wheels

 

System loads on wheels have now declined for 4 consecutive days declining 21% (-2,000 cars) in that time and currently sit below 7,500 cars – the lowest one day total in 4+ months.

CN leading the decline yesterday with loads on wheels having fallen below 3,500 cars.  CP volumes have remained fairly steady thus far this week.

 

Cars Not Moving

System idle car counts declined notably for the second straight day yesterday having now declined 55% (-800 cars) to less than 750 cars in the last 48 hours.

Improvement across the board yesterday.  While much of the decline this week has been seen on CP, CN led the way yesterday reducing counts below 150 cars.

 

Port Unloads

 

West coast unload (1,112) improved from the prior day and north of 1,000 cars for only the 4th time in the last two weeks.  Improved unloads at both ports yesterday.

Thunder Bay unloads (370) above the 350 car mark for the second straight day after a relatively slow weekend that saw only 420 total unloads reported.

 

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.