Live trains map Live train positions from public transit operators' feeds.
Live Trains (Global Intelligence desk) Live Trains is a data page on the Global Intelligence desk of Glassbox Auditing. Passenger, subway and freight trains on one live map wherever operators publish positions, train and bus fares for any trip, and the North American freight railroads' weekly service filings: train speed, terminal dwell, stuck cars and carloads by commodity. Rail moves much of the coal, grain, chemicals, cars and containers in North America, so its volumes and delays track the goods economy.
What does this page lead to? Business Activity (Macro) : Carloads of chemicals, metals, building materials and containers track factory output and imported goods moving inland, so a sustained rise or fall in originated carloads tends to show up later in industry and trade data. (moves the same way; weeks; economy scale) Source: Surface Transportation Board, EP 724 rail service data (Class I railroads' weekly filings) .Prices & Inflation (Macro) : When trains slow and loaded cars sit, shippers move some freight to costlier trucks and some plants cut output for want of cars, as in the 2022 rail service problems the STB held hearings on, which feeds freight prices. (moves the same way; 1-3 months; economy scale) Source: BLS producer price indexes for freight (truckload, LTL, rail, deep-sea, air) and the Cass Freight Index, via FRED .Auto & Energy (Companies) : Carloads of motor vehicles and equipment move finished cars and parts from plants, so they tend to track automakers' production and deliveries. (moves the same way; weeks; sector scale) Source: Surface Transportation Board, EP 724 rail service data (Class I railroads' weekly filings) .Commodities (Global Intelligence) : Grain cars carry the U.S. harvest to export ports, so slow service or stuck grain cars in the fall delay shipments and widen the gap between farm and port prices. (either way, depending on the cause; weeks; sector scale) Source: Surface Transportation Board, EP 724 rail service data (Class I railroads' weekly filings) .What else is on the Global Intelligence desk? More on Glassbox Auditing