Rail

By Daryl Delano -- Logistics Management, 1/1/1998

Linehaul operators were able to pass along only moderate price increases during 1997, despite above-average inflation in their labor costs. Still, this allowed some progress toward greater profitability for the industry. Average prices for rail transport moved up 0.1 percent during November after declining the previous month, largely because of a sharp increase in rates for metallic ores. When the final 1997 numbers are in, rail-sector inflation will be about 0.5 percent; we currently forecast a 0.7-percent increase in average rail freight costs this year.

% CHANGE VS.: 1 month ago 6 mos. ago 1 yr. ago

Coal NA NA NA

Chemicals 0.0 +0.5 +0.7

Grain 0.0 +0.9 +3.2

Motor vehicles 0.0 0.0 -1.1

Metallic ores +1.8 -1.8 -1.5