Railroads & Rail Transportation – Industry Analysis, Statistics, Trends, and Forecasts
See the following sections listed below to view available resources by category:
For guides to other industries, see our index of over 400 industries.
Industry Analysis, Statistics, Trends, and Forecasts
- Market size and major product and service segments
- Key industry statistics, trends, and financial ratios
- Operating conditions and current performance
- Competitive landscape and environment
- Major company profiles and market shares
- Five-year outlook and growth forecasts
Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp.
Railway Age Magazine
http://www.railwayage.com/
Monthly trade magazine features news and information for North American freight and passenger railroads, with special features including the "Passenger Rail Outlook" (January issue), "Midyear Report on the State of the Industry" (July issue), "Railroad Financial Desk Book" (October issue), and "Freight Rail Review and Outlook" (December issue). Digital editions of the magazine are available online.
AAR
Resources available from this trade association include:
Freight Rail Traffic Data
https://my.aar.org/
Interactive charts allows users to chart weekly, monthly, and annual carload and intermodal traffic data
for the U.S. and Canada both in aggregate and by commodity, with commodities covered including coal, grain,
ores, minerals, chemicals, food and farm products, and forest products. All information can be viewed free
online.
Railroad 101
https://www.aar.org/
Various sections provide an overview of the U.S. rail transportation industry with topics covered including
economic and financial issues, environmental impact, capacity, history, safety, labor relations, and major
commodities and products transported. All information is accessible free online.
ASLRRA
Views & News
https://www.aslrra.org/
Biweekly newsletter features news and information for short line and regional operators, and includes carload and intermodal traffic data for the most recent week and on a year-to-date basis with comparisons to the same periods in the prior year for trending purposes. Current and prior issues are available online.
BizMiner
Market Analysis
https://www.bizminer.com
Market analysis report provides industry statistics for a user-defined area on a national, state, county, metro area, or zip code level, with data provided including number of companies, market volume and sales trends, average company sales, sales per employee, staffing and employment trends, average employee wage, and business start up activity and failure rates. Sample report can be viewed online.
For more industry research reports and other resources, see the following resource guide.
Financial Statements and Financial Ratios
Rail Transportation
https://www.bizminer.com Search for "4821"
- Income and expenses in dollars and percentages
- Balance sheets in dollars and percentages
- Profitability and return on investment ratios
- Liquidity and working capital ratios
- Asset turnover and efficiency ratios
- Capital structure and debt service ratios
AAR
Resources available from this trade association include:
Railroad Facts
https://my.aar.org/
Annual publication provides financial and operating data for Class I carriers on an aggregate basis for
the most recent year and selected prior years, with categories covered including traffic, revenue, operating
averages, capital expenditures, employment, wages, fuel costs, and more.
Analysis of Class I Railroads
https://my.aar.org/
Annual publication provides detailed financial and operating statistics for Class I carriers, with data
provided including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, operating expense breakdown,
and financial ratios. Data version of the publication includes both PDF and Excel spreadsheet formats.
Railroad Ten-Year Trends
https://my.aar.org/
Annual publication provides an extensive selection of freight railroad economic data, with 10-year trend
data included for most measures. Report sections include a profile of the industry; traffic, revenue, finance,
employee, plant and equipment, and operations statistics; and a list of all U.S. freight carriers.
Compensation and Salary Surveys
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Resources available from this organization include:
Occupational Outlook Handbook - Railroad Occupations
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-occupations.htm
Information provided for this occupational category includes a description of the nature of the work and
the work environment, number and types of jobs, education and training requirements, wages and earnings,
employment outlook, and sources for additional information. All information is available free online.
Occupational Employment and Wages - Rail Transportation
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_482100.htm
Annual wage survey provides hourly and annual wage data for occupations in this transportation sector on
a national, state, and metropolitan area basis, with statistical measures for national wage data including
mean, median, upper and lower quartiles, and upper and lower deciles. All information is available free
online.
Business Valuation Resources
Barge Shipping and Transportation
Coal Mining
Freight Forwarders and Brokers
Trucking Companies
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