Chapter 9

Rail Capacity
305

Chapter 9: Rail Capacity 

Moving many agricultural products to market in an efficient and cost-effective manner requires 

adequate rail capacity. Rail capacity constraints can force traffic from rail to barge or truck. 

When traffic is forced to trucks, it usually results in increased transportation costs and 

increased damage to the highway system. Because agricultural shippers are price-takers, who 

receive a price for their commodity net of transportation costs, increased transportation costs 

come directly out of producer incomes. Increased damage to the local and state highway 

systems is paid for by taxes, which comes from local residents, many of whom are agricultural 

producers. 

Agricultural shippers and consumers have been concerned about the capacity of railroads to 

serve their needs for several years. Forecasts of demand for rail transportation for growing 

fields such as energy and intermodal transportation predict increasing demand. Some studies, 

such as one by Cambridge Systematics, indicate that railroads currently have few constraints in 

infrastructure capacity.181 The same study found capacity will be constrained in the future 

unless investments are made in infrastructure. The recession, however, has delayed the effect 

of such constraints as much as 5 years.182 A March 2009 report by Christensen Associates 

states that, although projections by individual researchers and agencies vary, the overall growth 

of traffic is widely accepted and only the magnitude of growth is in question.183 The magnitude 

may be largely determined by railroad pricing policies, which can either encourage or 

discourage traffic growth. 

Rail capacity requirements must be examined in light of the characteristics of agricultural 

movements rather than aggregate models and investment strategies. The production and 

marketing characteristics of agricultural products create special needs and different criteria to 

evaluate capacity. Testimony and shipper complaints emphasize the seasonal needs of 

agriculture, the density of those movements in specific corridors, and the perishable nature of 

the products being moved. 

Determining rail capacity is not simple; it reflects the complexity of the issue. Capacity depends 

on the availability and productivity of trackage, power units, the size of the railcar fleet by type 

of railcar, terminal capacity, intermodal facilities, engineers and crew, and more. It is not 

enough to evaluate capacity at the aggregate rail corridor level, which has been done in various 

studies. The needs of agriculture and the regional variation of agricultural production, and 

often nodes of congestion on the rail line, require attention to specific components in the 

capacity framework. Building capacity for peak movements is expensive and could be 

inefficient. Any excess capacity during some times of the year has to be balanced against the 

value of peak service needs. 

 
306

Investing in the system to provide capacity occurs in various ways. The Christenson study 

identified three components needed to achieve necessary rail capacity: 

• Investment in technology to improve the productivity and efficiency of the current 

infrastructure 

• Repairs, maintenance, and replacement of current infrastructure 

• Investment in new infrastructure184 

 

The first two components are examined in this chapter to determine the performance of the 

rail system relative to the needs of agriculture. The chapter pays attention to miles of track, 

average train speed, train and car type, terminal dwell times, and railcar fleet availability, now 

and in the future. The third component, investment, will be discussed in Chapter 10: Rail 

Investment. 

Demand and Transportation Capacity 

The growth in rail tonnage, except for 2007, closely follows the growth of production—real 

(inflation adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP)—in the United States (Figure 9-1). This trend 

is consistent with various estimates of expected growth in the overall demand for 

transportation services, as is discussed in other sections of this report. During 2007, however, 

due to high fuel prices and roadway congestion, freight traffic would have been expected to 

shift from truck to rail. Consequently, rail traffic should have increased rather than decreased 

as shown in Figure 9-1. 

Figure 9-1: Change in rail tonnage and real gross domestic product, 2000 to 2007 

Source: Norbridge, Inc. analysis of BEA data 

Rail Tonnage Change vs. Real GDP Change 

2000 = 1
307

In January 2009, Norbridge, Inc. examined the inhibitors to rail carload and intermodal share 

growth.185 The Norbridge study found that other factors besides rail capacity constrain the 

movement of traffic from highway to rail: a lack of service and high rail prices. Lack of service 

and high rail prices are issues that can be associated with both rail capacity and railroad market 

power. For example, railroads are moving 20-25 percent less traffic in 2009, but tariff rates 

have remained high. 

The following two figures are estimates used in a Federal Highway Administration study of 

interstate highway capacity and rail capacity. By 2010, interstate highway capacity is expected 

to be constrained in areas with dense population and commercial activity, denoted by the red 

lines in Figure 9-2. Much of the highway system in the Western U.S. is still under capacity, even 

projected to 2010. As highways reach capacity constraints, increased pressure may result in 

shipments moving to railroads, at least to some degree. 

Figure 9-2: Estimated interstate capacity to 2010 

Source: FHA, National Rail Freight Infrastructure Capacity and Investment Study; Texas Transportation Institute 

Interstate Capacity Issues 

(estimated 2010) 
308

Figure 9-3 depicts rail capacity in the year 2007. Few sections of the rail network were above 

aggregate capacity at that time. The brown lines indicate rail lines in the United States where 

traffic is at capacity; the yellow lines are lines approaching capacity. Only in extreme rural or 

agricultural areas was there much track that was below capacity (green lines). Again, this 

evaluation is based on annual aggregate volumes, not peak or seasonal movements or 

congestion nodes. 

Figure 9-3: Rail capacity in 2007 

Source: FHA, National Rail Freight Infrastructure Capacity and Investment Study; Texas Transportation Institute 

Rail Capacity Issues 

(2007) 
309

Agricultural Demand and System Usage 

The overall rail system may be unconstrained in the aggregate, but agriculture cares about 

constraints to specific corridors. The ratio of annual tonnage of agricultural commodities to 

total rail flows on all major corridors in the United States for 2006 is shown in Figure 9-4. 

Agricultural commodities are by far the majority of the movements in some sections of the 

nation, such as on many Midwestern secondary rail lines and several primary rail corridors. The 

long distance movements of agricultural products from the Midwest production areas to the 

Pacific Northwest and to Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA, dominate the movement on the northern 

BNSF rail line and its line from Chicago through the Southwest. Agricultural products also 

dominate traffic on the BNSF and UP rail lines from Chicago and Kansas City to the Houston 

region. The heavy total shipments out of Wyoming to the Midwest locations near or on the 

Mississippi are due to the volume of coal shipments for energy and power plants. 

Figure 9-4: Rail commodity flow map of total vs. agricultural component 

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Waybill Sample 
310

Factors Influencing Rail Performance 

These factors influence train speeds and terminal dwell times: 

• Changes in demand for rail transportation leading to rail line congestion 

• Rail merger integration resulting in operational difficulties and congestion 

• The availability of train-crew personnel 

• Extreme weather 

As train speed increases and terminal dwell times decrease, rail capacity increases. Although 

general inferences are possible, comparisons between years and railroads must be made with 

care given changing data definitions and individual operating characteristics of the railroads. 

Demand-Based Rail Congestion 

Excess demand for rail transportation often results in congestion on rail lines and in switching 

yards. Because rail capacity cannot be expanded rapidly, congestion on the rail lines and at 

switching terminals slows trains. As rail lines and switching yards become congested, their 

capacity is lower than when the lines are fluid, in much the same way that traffic backs up on a 

busy highway due to crowding. Access to rail lines and switching yards, however, is more 

tightly controlled than access to the highway; rail traffic controllers keep trains a specified 

distance apart and control entry to the rail network. 

Relative efficiency decreases and marginal costs could increase rapidly as portions of the rail 

network approach capacity. For instance, train speeds slowed in 2006 as demand increased in 

response to a robust economy (see discussion below). Since then, the demand for rail 

transportation has slowed, particularly during the last half of 2008 and early 2009, and train 

speeds have increased. This reduction in demand eliminated the congestion that slowed 

service from 2003 through 2006. 

Rail Mergers 

Although reporting on train speeds and terminal dwell times did not begin until 1999, nearly all 

major rail mergers since 1990 have resulted in operational difficulties that have slowed train 

speeds and increased terminal dwell times for the merging railroads, and sometimes for the 

entire railroad network. For example, the western rail crisis of 1997–98, which occurred as a 

result of the September 1996 merger of Union Pacific (UP) and Southern Pacific railroads, 

involved a severe railroad operational meltdown. Operational difficulties stemming from the 

merger slowed rail service on UP and other railroads over the entire West. Many UP lines—

particularly in the Houston region—came to a near-standstill for months. Another example is 

the merger difficulties that occurred subsequent to the June 1, 1999, division of Conrail 

between CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Norfolk Southern (NS). These operational problems 

lasted about a year. The merger of the Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka, and 

Santa Fe railroads in 1996 also resulted in integration difficulties. 
311

Availability of Train Crews 

The lack of train crew members also results in congestion and slower train speeds. Due to 

changes in Federal law in 2003 allowing railroad employees to retire 2 years early, at age 60, 

the number of retiring train crews increased substantially—just prior to the 2004 economic 

recovery. During late 2003 and 2004, UP, CSXT, and Canadian Pacific Railways (CP) experienced 

more line congestion and service issues due to early retirement than the other major railroads 

because they did not begin hiring replacement crews as soon as the other railroads; they did 

not anticipate the increased rail demand stimulated by the 2004 economic expansion. 

Newly hired train crews require approximately 6 months of training before they are qualified as 

conductors and another 6 months of training before they can operate trains as engineers. 

Because there were too few crew personnel, trains occupied sidings awaiting crew. This slowed 

train speeds because sidings are used to allow moving trains to wait while a train traveling in 

the opposite direction passes. Filling the sidings with trains awaiting crews meant that there 

were fewer sidings available to accommodate passing trains. 

Weather Events 

Extreme weather events affect train speeds and congestion. One of the best examples was the 

aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from September 2005 through March 2006. After the 

hurricane, rail lines, bridges, and yards in the New Orleans region had to be repaired or 

replaced. In addition, there was a spike in demand for rail transportation of bulk commodities 

because navigation on the lower Mississippi River was halted for a month. Other weather 

events affecting short-term railroad performance and capacity include floods, mudslides, 

buckling of rail due to excessive heat, and blizzards. 

Train Speed 

Rail capacity constraints were common from 2003 through the first half of 2006. Weaker 

demand for rail freight transportation beginning in late 2006 and a recession beginning in 

December 2007 resulted in adequate capacity for agricultural products during the harvest of 

2006, and from 2007 through the first half of 2009.186 However, capacity constraints are 

expected to occur again when the economy recovers. The following data on train speeds and 

terminal dwell times shows the effects of these capacity constraints. 
312

Train Speeds 1999-2003 

An evaluation of rail capacity includes consideration of the effective utilization of tracks and 

rolling stock by the speed of the trains. Faster trains mean more output per dollar spent in 

rolling stock, less congestion, and more rail capacity to handle the demand. The following 

series of graphs from the AAR Rail Performance Measures reveals the various dimensions of 

performance in realized train speed.187 

Train speed rose consistently for every single year except 2003, especially from the low 

performance in 1999 where the average train speed never reached 19 miles per hour (Figure 9-

5). Average speeds reached almost 23 miles per hour for several months in 2002, and over 22 

miles per hour in late 2001, both of which are almost 30 percent faster than 1999 speeds. Note 

the seasonal variation each year. 

Figure 9-5: Average train speed, all trains, 1999–2003 

Source: AAR 

 
313

The average speed of grain trains during the same period is significantly lower than that of all 

trains, but with the same improvement over time (Figure 9-6). Grain trains were moving at 

speeds sometimes below 16 miles per hour in 1999 but improved to as much as 20 miles per 

hour in 2002. Again, there was a consistent improvement in speed from year to year except 

2003, when rail capacity constraints first became apparent. 

Figure 9-6: Average train speed for grains, 1999-2003 

Source: AAR 
314

Train Speeds 2004-2008 

For the last five years, train speeds have been more stable, both within the year and from year 

to year. Although it may appear that the economies of current technology and logistics have 

been exhausted, gains in train speeds and rail capacity are expected due to positive train 

control and electronically-controlled pneumatic braking technologies. The average speed of all 

trains, with the exception of the last five months in 2008, shows a decrease since 2004 due to 

demand-based rail congestion—particularly during the harvest months of 2005—and early 

railroad retirements (Figure 9-7). Train speeds averaged about 20 miles per hour. 

Figure 9-7: Average train speed (all trains) from 2004-2008 

Source: AAR 

 
315

The performance of grain trains was similar to that of other trains from 2004 to 2008 (Figure 9-

8). Improvement is seen in 2008, almost all year. The earlier years were stable, consistently 

around 18 miles per hour, again slightly less than other trains. Rail traffic declined during 2008. 

Combined with prior investments in new rail capacity, this eliminated congestion on the rail 

network, resulting in faster trains. 

Figure 9-8: Average train speed for grains, 2004-2008 

Source: AAR 
316

BNSF and UP Train Speeds 

The two railroads that move the most grain—BNSF and UP—are examined below. Train speeds 

on BNSF over the past five years have been significantly better than that of the overall rail 

industry. BNSF trains averaged about 24 to 25 miles per hour, compared to 20 to 23 miles per 

hour for the rail industry, 10 to 20 percent faster (Figure 9-9). This higher speed probably 

reflects earlier investments in rail capacity as well as the increased use of unit trains and the 

longer hauls on this line. It is interesting that 2003 was the year of the best train speed 

performance, followed by 2008. Even though capacity constraints began to appear in 2003 for 

the railroad industry as a whole, BNSF benefitted from prior investments in “excess” rail 

capacity. BNSF train speeds during the last quarter of 2008 were even faster than those during 

the last quarters of 2003 and 2007, both good years for BNSF. 

Figure 9-9: Average BNSF Railway train speed (all trains), 2003-2008 

Source: AAR 

 
317

Figure 9-10 shows grain trains on BNSF had the highest speeds in 2008, followed by 2007. 

Demand-driven rail congestion was particularly bad in 2004 and continued through much of 

2006. The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 can be seen in October through 

December of 2005 and early 2006. Winter storms during February 2006 caused a sharp drop in 

train speeds. Demand-driven congestion due to abnormally high wheat and sorghum exports 

combined with fertilizer imports drove grain train speeds down from July to October 2007. 

Grain train speeds have been abnormally high since September 2008 due to the drop in 

demand for rail transportation, which reduced congestion. 

Figure 9-10: Average BNSF Railway train speed for grain, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR 

 
318

The Union Pacific’s fastest year was 2003, but speeds since the last half of 2008 have surpassed 

prior levels (Figure 9-11). The speeds in 2008 have shown dramatic improvements over the 

years from 2004 to 2007, increasing from an average of 21 miles per hour from May 2004 to 

August 2007 to nearly 24 miles per hour in 2008, with a high of 26 in December. The steady 

deterioration of train speeds during 2003, which continued through 2005, were due to crew 

shortages combined with increased demand for rail transportation during 2004 through 2005. 

Figure 9-11: Average Union Pacific train speed (all trains), 2003-2008 

Source: AAR 

 
319

Grain train speed on UP varied more by year and within the year than the speed of other UP 

trains; 2003 was the best year until 2008 (Figure 9-12). UP’s grain train speed, however, is still 

about 2 miles per hour, or 10 percent, slower than BNSF grain trains. The effects of Hurricanes 

Katrina and Rita can be seen during the last quarter of 2005. Demand-driven rail congestion 

continued through most of 2006 resulting in slow grain trains. Speeds began to recover during 

late 2007 and continued throughout 2008. By the end of 2008, train speeds on UP exceeded 

prior levels as decreased demand reduced congestion and investments were made in rail 

capacity during that time. Note the demand-driven seasonal decrease in train speeds during 

the last quarters of 2003 and 2004. 

Figure 9-12: Average Union Pacific train speed for grains, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR

Overall, it is evident that the railroads have been successful in improving the speed of their 

trains, for all trains as well as for grain movements. The improvement from year to year is not 

as evident within the past five years, though 2008 did offer some improvements. This suggests 

that past speed improvements may not be sustainable unless positive train control and 

electronically-controlled pneumatic brake technologies fulfill their potential. 
320

Dwell Times in Terminals 

When cars and power units are not moving, they are not available to provide service and 

capacity to shippers. The length of time that cars spend in switching terminals is an indicator of 

lost capacity if the dwell time is more than that necessary to switch the car to the proper train. 

Dwell time is an indication of efficiency within the terminal and it discloses problems, such as 

terminal congestion, that are affecting the efficiency and performance of the railroad. Terminal 

dwell time, though, does not pinpoint the cause of any such inefficiency. The AAR Railroad 

Performance Measures (RPM) information utilized for train speeds also tracks and reports the 

terminal dwell times for the industry and individual railroads. The series of graphs below 

provide a review of that performance. 

Railroad Industry Terminal Dwell Times 

The first two graphs below examine the dwell times for two time periods. From 2001 to 2004, 

dwell times steadily increased, which causes the capacity of the rail system to decline (Figure 9-

13). The subsequent period sees a steady improvement in terminal dwell times, with 2008 

having the lowest average dwell times (Figure 9-14). The years 2003, 2004, and parts of 2005 

saw higher average dwell times, especially for BNSF and UP.188 The causes of the overall and 

seasonal variation in dwell times will be discussed later in this section. 

Figure 9-13: Average train dwell times, 2001-2004 

Source: AAR

 
321

Figure 9-14: Average train dwell times, 2005-2008 

Source: AAR

BNSF Terminal Dwell Times 

The average dwell times for individual railroads are shown in the figures below. BNSF changed 

its method of calculating terminal dwell time from January 2005 through July 2005, resulting in 

reported dwell times in early 2005 that are not comparable to the rest of its reported data 

(Figure 9-15). It averages 24 hours of terminal dwell time in recent years, with a steady 

performance for the past four years. As with the overall industry, 2003 and 2004 saw high 

dwell times, possibly due to demand-driven traffic increases or the effects of early railroad 

retirement. Note that the dwell times increase at the end of each year, when substantial 

amounts of grain and Christmas merchandise demand is being shipped. 

 
322

Figure 9-15: Average train dwell times for BNSF Railway, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR

UP Terminal Dwell Times 

UP has a similar performance over the years but spends more overall time in terminals than 

does BNSF, recently averaging 24 to 25 hours, but with more seasonal variation (Figure 9-16). 

Again, higher dwell times during 2003–04 appear related to early retirements and increased 

demand, resulting in increased time railcars spend in the switching yard. UP also shows a 

consistent increase in terminal dwell times at the end of each year, when demand increases. 

Figure 9-16: Average train dwell times for Union Pacific, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR
323

Terminal Dwell Times for NS, CSX, and CN 

Data for the three eastern railroads are presented in the following graphs. The dwell time for 

NS and CSX both average 22 to 23 hours in the terminal in recent years (Figures 9-17 and 9-18). 

CSX has shown the greatest improvement in terminal dwell times over the years, although both 

railroads have improved, especially in recent years. 2003 and 2004 were less efficient, though 

to a lesser degree than the western railroads. Railroad retirements, and possibly increased rail 

demand, may have resulted in the higher terminal dwell times during those years. Both 

railroads show marked increases in dwell time during the high demand Christmas season. 

Figure 9-17: Average train dwell times for Norfolk Southern, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR

 
324

Figure 9-18: Average train dwell times for CSX, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR

 
325

CN has had the most consistent performance of all the railroads. Its terminal dwell time is 

currently about 12 hours, significantly below the other railroads, and it has been at almost this 

level throughout the entire six-year period, with the exception of 4 months during 2004 (Figure 

9-19). The sharp increase in terminal dwell time in April 2003 may be due to a rail strike. The 

increase in 2004 could be due to either increased demand or a short period awaiting 

replacement train crews to be trained. 

Figure 9-19: Average train dwell times for CN, 2003-2008 

Source: AAR

Miles of Track 

One of the primary influences on overall capacity is the amount of track available to the 

railroad system. The Christensen study used the R-1 annual reports of the Class I railroads to 

examine capacity at the aggregate level. Selected tables and graphs from this study are shown 

below.189 Note that these are only aggregate indicators and the geographical dispersion, 

seasonal availability, or functional use (switching or line haul, for example) of the tracks is not 

examined here. These latter characteristics determine the amount of rail capacity actually 

available for agricultural shipments, not just aggregate miles. However, the total miles are still 

indicators of capacity over the system. 

Total miles of Class I railroad track decreased rather dramatically and steadily from 1987 to 

about 1998 and has remained steady at about 200,000 miles since then (Figure 9-20). The 

miles of main-line track decreased until 1993 and have remained steady, at slightly more than 

140,000 miles, since then. 
326

Figure 9-20: Miles of track of Class I Railroads, 1987-2006 

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

220,000

240,000

260,000

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Total Main

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. 

The percentage of track miles owned by Class I railroads decreases through 1999, then 

increases due to the purchase of several regional railroads by Class I railroads (Figure 9-21). By 

the end of 2007, short line and regional railroads operated nearly 46,000 main line miles of 

track, a little more than 30 percent of the U.S. railroad network. Short line and regional 

railroads often provide rail service to rural shippers on lines that otherwise would have been 

abandoned. 

Figure 9-21: Percent of track miles owned and operated by Class I Railroads, 1987-2006 

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. 

60.0%

65.0%

70.0%

75.0%

80.0%

85.0%

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

% Operated % Owned
327

The ton-miles handled by the railroads have increased from 919 billion in 1980 to 1,771 billion 

in 2007, a rise of 93 percent. During this same period, the route miles operated have decreased 

from 197,804 miles in 1980 to only 140,695 miles in 2007.190 Each route mile during 2007 

carried an average of 171 percent more ton-miles—nearly triple the traffic—than in 1980. This 

shows an increased usage of rail lines, which has benefited the railroads financially, but has also 

contributed to rail congestion. 

Analysis of Rail Equipment Statistics 

Rail capacity is also a function of the number of railcars and locomotives available to shippers. 

This section discusses the ownership of railcars and looks at freight car acquisitions, the railcar 

fleet, and locomotives. 

Percentage of Privately-Owned Railcars 

Railroads are relying more and more on privately-owned cars to provide the capacity to handle 

shipper demand, shifting the investment burden from carriers to shippers. The total share of 

privately-owned cars on line for these Class I railroads has steadily increased every year from 

48.4 percent in 1999 to 52.7 percent in 2007 (Table 9-1). The major railroads—BNSF, CSX, KCS, 

and UP—rely on privately-owned cars for over 50 percent of their traffic: 56.8, 54.4, 56.4 and 

58 percent, respectively. The number of system-owned cars on line has decreased 

proportionally. 

Table 9-1: Percent of privately owned railcars on line, 1999–2007 

Year BNSF CN CP CSX KCS NS UP Total 

1999 51.1% 38.1% 36.2% 48.4% 54.1% 39.1% 58.0% 48.4% 

2000 51.4% 43.9% 37.2% 47.8% 54.9% 41.1% 57.5% 48.9% 

2001 51.8% 45.1% 40.8% 48.0% 53.2% 41.7% 59.6% 50.2% 

2002 51.8% 47.3% 43.2% 48.3% 55.2% 38.8% 60.6% 50.5% 

2003 52.6% 48.0% 41.3% 49.5% 54.0% 39.1% 60.8% 51.0% 

2004 53.0% 45.1% 41.1% 50.4% 55.6% 40.5% 61.3% 51.4% 

2005* 53.8% 46.1% 42.5% 50.5% 56.1% 41.5% 62.4% 52.1% 

2006 55.1% 46.5% 40.5% 52.0% 55.8% 44.4% 56.3% 51.2% 

2007 56.8% 46.3% 41.5% 54.4% 56.4% 45.8% 58.0% 52.7% 

 *Statistics for 2005 only cover January through September. 

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc.
328

Freight Car Acquisitions 

The shift of railcar investments to non-Class I firms is also dramatically shown in the following 

table from the AAR as developed in Christensen (Table 9-2). They identified six different time 

periods for analysis, but the major finding is that Class I railroads have not been significant 

contributors to the freight car acquisitions in the industry. The highest years of Class I railroad 

purchases were in the 1981-85 period, at 23 percent of the acquisitions, while the last five time 

periods have averaged slightly over 12 percent. It can be noted that in the 1996-2000 period 

significant increases occurred by both Class I railroads and the other investors. Overall, other 

investors provided about 88 percent of all new acquisitions. 

Table 9-2: Freight railcar acquisitions, 1981–2007 

Year Total Class I 

Railroads Others % Class I Railroads 

% 

Others 

1981-85 18,651 5,549 13,101 23.0% 77.0% 

1986-90 21,871 2,794 19,078 11.2% 88.8% 

1991-95 39,070 4,882 34,188 11.4% 88.6% 

1996-00 62,794 10,728 52,067 15.7% 84.3% 

2001-05 39,928 5,850 34,078 12.6% 87.4% 

2001-07 48,218 6,647 41,571 12.5% 87.5% 

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. 

The Railcar Fleet 

Table 9-3 shows characteristics of the car fleet that have implications regarding capacity and 

the provision of capacity. Total cars in the fleet have decreased from 1.7 million in 1976 to 1.39 

million in 2007. A modest increase has occurred from 2004 through 2007. The number of new 

cars has varied widely, from 12.4 to 86.7 thousand. The average from 2005 through 2007 has 

been a little less than 70 thousand per year, a significant increase over the average for the 

thirty-year period. 

The capacity of the car fleet in tons has increased nearly 14 percent, even though the number 

of railcars has decreased by more than 18 percent. The number of ton-miles, however, 

increased nearly 93 percent from 1980 through 2007. It is apparent that railcars in 2007 were 

loaded more often than in 1976, with shorter cycle times. Due to the increase in the number of 

shuttle trains and unit trains since 1976, and their widespread use, this appears to be a 

reasonable conclusion. 

 
329

Although the number of cars has decreased, the average age of the cars has increased, 

indicating that older cars are still being maintained on the lines. Overall, the number of cars on 

line is swelling, increasingly paid for by shippers, as the average car gets older. Both the 

average and total capacity in tons is increasing. 

Table 9-3: Selected railcar fleet statistics, 1976-2007 

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. 

Year 

Total 

Cars 

(millions) 

New 

Cars 

(thousands) 

Avg. 

Age 

(years) 

Avg. 

Capacity 

(tons) 

Fleet 

Capacity 

(million 

tons) 

1976 1.70 53.6 14.6 73.8 125.5 

1980 1.71 86.7 14.9 78.5 134.2 

1984 1.49 12.4 16.3 84.1 125.3 

1988 1.24 22.5 17.7 87.4 108.4 

1992 1.17 25.8 19.2 90.6 106.0 

1993 1.17 35.2 19.5 91.3 106.8 

1994 1.19 48.8 19.7 92.0 109.5 

1995 1.22 60.9 19.9 92.9 113.3 

1996 1.24 57.9 19.9 95.6 118.5 

1997 1.27 50.4 20.0 96.5 122.6 

1998 1.32 75.7 19.8 97.2 128.3 

1999 1.37 74.2 20.1 98.2 134.5 

2000 1.38 55.8 20.4 98.7 136.2 

2001 1.31 34.3 20.9 99.1 129.8 

2002 1.30 17.7 21.2 99.7 129.6 

2003 1.28 32.2 21.9 100.1 128.1 

2004 1.29 46.9 22.3 100.5 129.6 

2005 1.31 68.6 22.3 101.2 132.6 

2006 1.35 74.7 22.5 102.0 137.7 

2007 1.39 63.2 22.5 102.8 142.9 
330

Locomotives 

The number of power units available to Class I railroads has increased in most years, and is up 

34 percent since 1992. The aggregate horsepower of those locomotives also has steadily 

increased, 71.5 percent greater today than in 1992. Most of these units are new rather than 

rebuilt, and the average power has increased to 3,516.5 horsepower. Four percent of the fleet 

has consisted of new units, with some annual variation (Table 9-4). 

Table 9-4: Selected locomotive fleet statistics, 1992-2007 

Year Units In 

Service 

Aggregate 

Horsepower 

(millions) 

Purchased 

& Leased 

New 

Rebuilt 

Acquired HP/Unit %New 

1992 18,004 49.5 321 139 2,749.4 1.8% 

1993 18,161 50.4 504 203 2,775.2 2.8% 

1994 18,505 52.4 821 393 2,831.7 4.4% 

1995 18,812 55.1 928 201 2,929.0 4.9% 

1996 19,269 57.5 761 60 2,984.1 3.9% 

1997 19,684 60.2 743 68 3,058.3 3.8% 

1998 20,261 63.3 889 172 3,124.2 4.4% 

1999 20,256 64.8 709 156 3,199.1 3.5% 

2000 20,028 65.3 640 81 3,260.4 3.2% 

2001 19,745 64.7 710 45 3,276.8 3.6% 

2002 20,506 69.3 745 33 3,379.5 3.6% 

2003 20,774 70.9 587 34 3,412.9 2.8% 

2004 22,015 76.1 1121 5 3,456.7 5.1% 

2005 22,779 79.0 827 84 3,468.1 3.6% 

2006 23,732 82.7 922 158 3,484.7 3.9% 

2007* 24,143 84.9 902 167 3,516.5 3.7% 

*Preliminary values are reported for 2007. 

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. 

The three most common indicators of capacity are the miles of rail line, the cars on line, and the 

power units. Investments or changes in these categories indicate the growth or shrinkage of 

rail capacity. For example, the aggregate railcar capacities in tons and the aggregate 

locomotive horsepower have both increased. 
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Annual Class I Railroad Capital Expenditures 

Table 9-5 indicates changes in annual expenditures for major capacity indicators. Investment 

choices vary in any one year but significant variation occurs from year to year. The averages 

reveal that variation, suggesting investment decisions are at least partially responsive to shortterm market pressures. 

Table 9-5: Changes in annual expenditures for Class I Railroads, 1988-2006 

Year Road Locomotive Cars Total Equipment Grand Total 

1988 13.9% 87.5% 24.7% 44.7% 14.4% 

1989 -4.7% 14.9% 43.5% 13.1% 8.5% 

1990 4.1% -12.9% -31.7% -16.2% -7.3% 

1991 -11.0% 13.6% -11.2% 7.0% -4.3% 

1992 14.4% -43.0% 13.0% -20.0% 6.8% 

1993 2.1% 51.3% 55.3% 45.8% 20.2% 

1994 12.0% 19.4% 30.2% 22.7% 11.2% 

1995 14.7% 32.5% 33.5% 30.1% 12.7% 

1996 6.6% 5.8% -28.7% -6.2% 13.6% 

1997 5.5% 12.7% -29.7% -2.6% 2.8% 

1998 16.8% 0.5% 22.9% 7.9% 8.8% 

1999 -9.2% -12.1% 1.2% -6.1% -17.2% 

2000 2.3% -60.8% 2.5% -37.0% -15.8% 

2001 -2.8% -13.5% -98.4% -39.8% -3.4% 

2002 4.9% 13.7% -65.5% 0.8% 9.2% 

2003 -1.8% 31.4% 6.9% 24.1% 6.6% 

2004 8.0% -19.1% 32.5% 0.1% 5.8% 

2005 8.2% -32.1% 9.2% -23.7% 10.8% 

2006 26.4% 32.2% 50.2% 36.0% 14.3% 

Averages Road Locomotive Cars Total Equipment Grand Total 

1987-1992 3.4% 12.0% 7.7% 5.7% 3.6% 

1992-1997 8.2% 24.3% 12.1% 18.0% 12.1% 

1997-2002 2.4% -14.4% -27.5% -14.9% -3.7% 

2002-2006 10.2% 3.1% 24.7% 9.1% 9.4% 

Source: Laurits R. Christensen Associates, Inc. 

In a recent study, Cambridge Systematics used DOT’s Freight Analysis Framework to examine 

overall railroad infrastructure needs compared to expected rail transportation demands. They 

found that only 1 percent of lines were over capacity and that 88 percent were below capacity. 

However, that study did not examine the multiple components of capacity as was done above. 

Aggregate analysis is an incomplete evaluator of the specific capacity needs of shippers, 

especially agricultural shippers. 
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Rural rail network lines have declined, and abandonments by Class I railroads, short lines, and 

regional companies continue. The push to trainload operations has increased overall capacity 

while making individual shippers and smaller elevator firms carry the cost of assembly of those 

unit train volumes. Guaranteed railcar ordering systems provide efficiency, but at increased 

cost. Determining effective capacity available to agriculture is complex and cannot be 

separated from service issues, rate levels, structure, and competition for traffic. 

Conclusions 

Adequate rail capacity is necessary to move agricultural products to market in an efficient and 

cost-effective manner. Rail capacity constraints force traffic from rail to truck, increasing 

transportation costs and damage to highways. 

Capacity constraints were common from 2003 through the first half of 2006. Weaker demand 

for rail freight transportation beginning in late 2006, and a recession that began in December 

2007 resulted in adequate rail capacity for agricultural products during the harvest of 2006, and 

from 2007 through the first half of 2009. However, capacity constraints are expected to occur 

again when the economy recovers. 

Increased use of the rail lines, which has benefited the railroads financially, has also contributed 

significantly to rail congestion. Each route mile during 2007 carried, on average, 171 percent 

more traffic in ton-miles—nearly three times the traffic—than in 1980. 

By the end of 2007, short line and regional railroads operated nearly 46,000 main line miles of 

track, a little more than 30 percent of the U.S. railroad network. Short line and regional 

railroads often provide rail service to rural shippers on lines that otherwise would have been 

abandoned. 

The capacity of the car fleet in tons has increased nearly 14 percent from 1976 to 2007, even 

though the number of railcars has decreased by more than 18 percent. The ton-miles increased 

nearly 93 percent from 1980 through 2007, indicating that railcars in 2007 were loaded more 

frequently than in 1976 due to shorter cycle times. The number of engines available to the 

Class I railroads has increased 34 percent since 1992. The aggregate horsepower of those 

locomotives also has steadily increased, up 71.5 percent since 1992. 

Railroads are relying more and more on privately-owned cars to provide the capacity to handle 

shipper demands, shifting the investment burden from the carriers to the shippers. Since 1981, 

shippers and other investors have provided 88 percent of all new railcar acquisitions. 

Rail capacity requirements need to be examined and considered in light of the characteristics of 

agricultural movements rather than aggregate models and investment strategies. Testimony, 

shipper complaints and economic analysis indicates the seasonal needs of agriculture and the 

density of those movements in specific corridors, as well as the perishable nature of the 

products being moved.