Economic Indicator: 1/14/2010
By: ProgressiveRailroad.com

U.S. railroads’ carloadings plummeted to the lowest of low points last year — as in a 21-year low. Yesterday, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced U.S. carloads, which fell 16.1 percent vs. 2008 to 13.8 million units, reached their lowest level since 1988. Intermodal traffic fared only slightly better, dropping 14.1 percent year-over-year to 9.9 million units, the lowest volume since 2002.

At least U.S. railroads ended 2009 on a promising note: Carloads fell only 4.1 percent and intermodal volume rose 2.5 percent in December.

By ALAN ZIBEL
WASHINGTON
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9DLECSO0.htm

Orders to U.S. factories posted a big gain in December, far exceeding expectations and adding to evidence that the manufacturing sector is supporting the economic recovery.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that orders rose by 1 percent last month, double the 0.5 percent forecast by economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters. It was the eighth increase in the past nine months.

The advance was led by big gains in orders for metals such as steel and aluminum, as well as machinery. However, orders for transportation equipment as well as computers and electronics dipped slightly.

Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) — Crude oil rose above $75 a barrel as equities rebounded from the biggest three-day decline since March on signs that Ben S. Bernanke will be reconfirmed as Federal Reserve chairman.

Oil climbed as much as 1.2 percent and stocks rallied after the White House and the Senate’s senior Republican predicted Bernanke will keep his job. Oil also increased after failing to breach technical support at about $74 a barrel amid speculation that last week’s slide was overdone.

Visit http://www.redcross.org/ to donate money for the relief in Haiti!

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

More stories at http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=fe7ad3db31b36210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD

By GREG GARDNER FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
After a long spell of cutting production and closing plants, North American automakers are preparing to build substantially more cars as evidence mounts that the economic recovery is gathering momentum.

Collectively, the industry plans to make 2.93 million cars and trucks in North America between Jan. 1 and March 31, according to Ward’s AutoInfoBank, up 69% from 1.73 million built in the first three months of 2009. That’s still less than the 3.58 million vehicles assembled in the first quarter of 2008, but it is still some of the first tangible evidence the long-anticipated recovery is real.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009, 10:59 am
Press Release: Green Party
September 22, 2009

Bigger trucks could be big trouble

Bigger trucks will make at least 620,000 trips on our roads each year meaning drivers should brace themselves for more road carnage, and more road damage, Green Party Associate Transport spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today.

“Truck operators have sought permission to carry 33 million tonnes of freight a year by huge, 53 tonne, 72 foot trucks. If the Minister of Transport approves a pending rule change, we can expect to see at least 620,000 trips by heavy trucks a year on our roads,” said Ms Kedgley.

Logan Center & Logistick 2009 Annual Fishing Day

LOGAN anglers spent a recent afternoon at the riverside home of Tom Kanczuzewski, president of Logistick, Inc. and Inovateus Development. In his back yard alongside the St. Joseph River, Tom built a pond called Kristel Springs, in memory of his niece having Spina Bifida who died at age 10. Tom stocked Kristel Springs with trout and made the grounds fully accessible. For the past 3 years, Tom and his family have hosted LOGAN clients at the pond, where everyone catches a fish and has an “official” photograph taken!
http://logancenter.org/fishing.cfm

IANA Trade Show 2009 in Anaheim, CA on Nov. 15- 17! Would you like to know what it’s all about?

Intermodal Expo Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Intermodal Expo??