Freight Volumes for Rail System
Freight Volumes for the Rail System
The folllowing tables summarize estimated 2007 and forecast 2040 regional freight volumes for the rail system. The source for much of this information is the Transearch database, which estimates national commodity flows based on sample data, rather than comprehensive physical counts. Where possible, we have validated Transearch 2007 estimates with alternative sources of data, including ground data, alternative counts, and previous estimates.
Rail Volumes: 2007 estimates and 2040 forecasts
Background: Rail services include carload services and intermodal services. Carload services are typically trains comprised of a variety of railcars and commodities, each car potentially coming from a different shipper and with different destinations. Carload trains may provide services to small or large shippers and receivers, typically situated along rail sidings to facilitate all-steel-wheel delivery. For Transearch database purposes, carload services also include bulk services. "Bulk services" are commodity-carrying trains for liquid or dry goods, such as coal trains or grain trains, often operating and billed as a unit (in which case, it's called a "unit train").
Intermodal services are trains carrying containers or trailers. Containers are carried in "well cars," frequently stacked two-high. Trailers are carried on flat cars.
Points of Summary:
- For the seven-county region, the amount of freight in tons was higher for inbound freight than outbound freight. However, the value of outbound freight was higher than inbound freight.
- The number of carload units is greater than intermodal containers, and is forecast to remain so. However, future rail volume growth is forecast to be much higher for intermodal services than for carload services.
- Overall rail tonnage is expected to grow by 62% between 2007 and 2040.
- The seven-county Chicago metropolitan area handled nearly 41,000 carload and container movements each day in 2007.
2007 Rail Volume Estimates
| Direction |
Carload Tons |
Intermodal Tons | Carload Units | Intermodal Units |
Carload Value (Million Dollars) |
Intermodal Value (Million Dollars) |
|
Inbound: Destined for 7-County Region |
116,632,000 |
45,449,000 |
1,339,000 |
3,687,000 |
94,521 |
187,038 |
|
Inbound: Destined for Remainder of BEA Area |
19,130,000 |
658,000 |
196,000 |
51,000 |
9,400 |
3,060 |
|
Outbound: Originating in 7-County Region |
61,099,000 |
49,857,000 |
790,000 |
3,927,000 |
77,701 |
210,139 |
|
Outbound: Originating in Remainder of BEA Area |
18,194,000 |
975,000 |
213,000 |
64,000 |
13,628 |
3,943 |
|
Local Traffic |
11,457,000 |
49,000 |
147,000 |
10,000 |
13,823 |
7,634 |
|
Through Traffic |
294,995,000 |
12,678,000 |
3,443,000 |
1,016,000 |
250,127 |
54,136 |
|
Total |
521,507,000 |
109,668,000 |
6,129,000 |
8,755,000 |
459,201 |
458,323 |
Source: Global Insight, CMAP.
2040 Rail Volume Forecasts
| Direction |
Carload Tons 2040 |
Intermodal Tons 2040 |
Total Tons 2040 |
Carload Tons % Change 2007 - 2040 |
Intermodal Tons % Change 2007 - 2040 |
Total Tons % Change 2007-2040 |
|
Inbound: Destined for 7-County Region |
167,544,000 |
139,353,000 |
306,897,000 |
+44% |
+207% |
+89% |
|
Inbound: Destined for Remainder of BEA Area |
24,570,000 |
1,871,000 |
26,441,000 |
+28% |
+184% |
+34% |
|
Outbound: Originating in 7-County Region |
76,977,000 |
156,853,000 |
233,830,000 |
+26% |
+215% |
+111% |
|
Outbound: Originating in Remainder of BEA Area |
16,810,000 |
1,080,000 |
17,890,000 |
-8% |
+11% |
-7% |
|
Local Traffic |
14,665,000 |
146,000 |
14,811,000 |
+28% |
+199% |
+29% |
|
Through Traffic |
399,077,000 |
25,097,000 |
424,174,000 |
+33% |
+96% |
+35% |
|
Total |
699,643,000 |
324,399,000 |
1,024,042,000 |
+34% |
+196% |
+62% |
Source: Global Insight, CMAP.