Why it matters: If more traffic moves onto the combined network in certain areas than planned, congestion and service disruptions can follow.
This includes:
- Forecasts that traffic will shift from other railroads and from trucks
- Whether the operating plan realistically accounts for that added volume
The application forecasts significant traffic growth from trucks and some growth from other railroads but relies on modeling that does not fully reflect traffic data. Applicants’ expert did not consider the traffic file for any year for CSX or CPKC and did not consider the traffic file for CN for years 2019-2022 or 2024.
Ask yourself:
Is this how you would forecast? If traffic grows faster than expected, is the network prepared or could embargoes and service issues occur?