Rail

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 3/1/1999

Between December 1998 and January 1999, linehaul operators held the line on prices charged for trailer-on-flatcar shipments. Prices for moving chemicals and motor vehicles remained stable as well. Overall, rates for moving products by rail rose 1.2% in 1998, after rising only 0.6% in 1997 and falling by 0.2% and 0.1% in 1996 and 1995, respectively. Barring any unexpected shocks to the rail system, the forecast for 1999 calls for a return to an extremely modest inflation rate of 0.4%.

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

Coal/Petroleum +0.8 +0.6 -1.0

Chemicals 0.0 -0.5 +0.1

Farm products +0.3 -2.7 -2.6

Motor vehicles 0.0 0.0 0.0

Metallic ores -0.4 -2.8 -4.1