Rail

By Daryl Delano -- Logistics Management, 11/1/1998

Average railroad linehaul prices were 0.1% higher in September than they were in August. Following an 0.8% increase in average rail charges between the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year--a sharp increase for this stable sector--average prices have moved just 0.1% higher during the past two calendar quarters. The September 1998 price index for the overall rail freight sector was 1.1% above the index's September 1997 level.

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

Coal /Petroleum +0.1 -0.2 -2.3

Chemicals 0.0 +0.4 +0.6

Grain 0.0 0.0 +3.0

Motor vehicles 0.0 0.0 +0.5

Metallic ores 0.0 -2.0 +0.1