(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on July 22, 2010.)
In the second quarter, rail-car orders totaled 4,886 units compared with 2,165 units in second-quarter 2009, according to the Railway Supply Institute’s American Railway Car Institute Committee (ARCI). Orders had totaled 5,078 units in the first quarter and 2,821 units in fourth-quarter 2009.
Second-quarter car deliveries totaled 2,946 units vs. 6,463 units in second-quarter 2009. Delivery totals were 2,550 units in the first quarter and 3,467 units in fourth-quarter 2009.
Meanwhile, the rail-car backlog stood at 14,930 units on July 1 vs. 12,990 units on April 1, 10,462 units on Dec. 31, 2009, and 19,343 units on Oct. 1, 2009, ARCI said.