Weekly U.S. Rail Loadings Rise

WASHINGTON - Apr 13/06 - SNS -- The number of carloads of grains and oilseeds delivered to U.S. ports for the week ending April 5 rose, according to the USDA's Transportation and Marketing Programs/Transportation Services Branch weekly Grain Transportation Report.

Total carloads delivered to major port areas during the week totalled 9,247, up from 9,009 the previous week. This lifted calendar year to date deliveries to 139,177 cars, up 5% from the 133,152 cars unloaded during the same period last year.

In other transportation issues, the USDA said the latest report from the Inland Waterways Users Board says inland waterways in the United States "are exhibiting signs of serious neglect. The Board indicates that due to budget limitations many projects funded by the Inland Waterways Trust Fund are not being completed on time.

"Delays in the maintenance of aging facilities are forcing facilities to remain in service for extended periods of time. Emergency repairs can—and often do—stop all traffic at any point on the river system. In 2005, repair work slowed or stopped traffic several times on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers."

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