RTA report: Tie production, purchases posted gains in March

Last month, tie production increased 4.3 percent to 1.47 million units and tie purchases inched up 0.2 percent to 1.84 million units compared with February levels, according to the Railway Tie Association’s latest market report.

On a year-over-year basis, purchases were up 2.7 percent in March, but production was down 21.1 percent.

In the first quarter, production totaled 4.16 million ties, down 25.1 percent compared with the same 2017 period. But purchases totaling 5.26 million ties climbed 21.8 percent.

Meanwhile, 12-month rolling totals through March show production at 19.1 million ties and purchases at 24.4 million ties.

“Purchases are in an upward trend at a 7.2 percent annual rate [but] production is trending lower and is down by a 26 percent annual rate,” RTA officials said in the report, commenting on the 12-month totals.