<\/a>Norfolk Southern reported a 5.9 percent slide in profit for the second quarter 2012 versus second quarter 2011. Coal is a major source of revenue for Norfolk Southern, and a 15 percent plunge in coal revenue could not be offset by increases in revenue from automotive and chemicals traffic and trailers and containers.<\/p>\nNS\u2019s second quarter 2012 operating ratio of 67.5 \u2013 a record quarterly low for the railroad — was a significant\u00a0two-percentage-point improvement from the 69.5 percent operating ratio in second quarter 2011. Operating ratio is a railroad\u2019s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue, and is considered by economists to be the basic measure of carrier profitability. The lower the operating ratio, the more efficient the railroad.<\/p>\n
Norfolk Southern operates some 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Union Pacific profit rose 28 percent in second quarter 2012 compared with second quarter 2011. The railroad said higher freight rates and fuel surcharges, along with growing demand, offset weak coal volume. UP said it was the “best-ever quarterly results.”<\/p>\n
Union Pacific\u2019s second quarter 2012 operating ratio of 67.0 percent was a 4.3 percentage point improvement over the 71.3 percent operating ratio for the second quarter 2011. Operating ratio is a railroad\u2019s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue, and is considered by economists to be the basic measure of carrier profitability. The lower the operating ratio, the more efficient the railroad.<\/p>\n
Union Pacific operates some 32,000 route miles in 23 states in the western two-thirds of the U.S.<\/p>\n
BNSF second quartaer results have not yet been reported.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BNSF reported a 16 percent increase in profit for the second quarter 2012 versus second quarter 2011. BNSF\u2019s second quarter 2012 operating ratio of 71.1 percent was a more than 3 percentage point improvement over second quarter 2011. Operating ratio is a railroad\u2019s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue, and is considered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9,18],"tags":[88,180,89,181,1189,971,1661,185],"member_types":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Second quarter 2012 rail profits wrap-up - SMART Union<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n