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North American short line traffic grows (The following story by John D. Boyd appeared on The Journal of Commerce website on October 29, 2009.) WASHINGTON, D.C. — North American short line railroads picked up more loads in the latest week, with gains across a wide range of cargoes, according to RMI’s RailConnect index. The index is a snapshot of volume reported by about 60 percent of the continent’s small railroads. RMI said 338 reporting carriers loaded 88,122 railcars or intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 24, up from 83,816 in the Oct. 17 week. RMI’s raw carload units adjusted downward earlier this week as a former significant contributor dropped out of the index. Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad was acquired a year ago by Canadian Pacific Railway, but until this month still sent its traffic numbers to be counted in short line figures. But RMI adjusted its year-over-year percentage comparisons for the DM&E exit. It said volume for the latest week was down 19.7 percent from a year earlier for its reporting railroads, an improvement from the 25.9 percent year-over-year drop for the preceding week. Cargoes showing gains from mid-October were chemicals – the largest short line category – metals and ores, intermodal containers or trailers, automobile and other large equipment, coal, paper, lumber, and basic construction-related materials of stone, clay and aggregate rock. Friday, October 30, 2009 © 1997-2010 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

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