The U.S. Department of Agriculture published a weekly snapshot of agricultural rail terminal dwell times on October 15, 2026. The dataset, which covers the reporting date of October 9 and observations from week 40 of 2026, contains 70 rows of data submitted on October 14. Norfolk Southern recorded the highest total dwell value among Class I railroads at 333, while CPKC’s Laredo, Texas terminal posted the lowest individual dwell value at 3.34.
What it means
The USDA AgTransport dataset tracks how long freight cars remain at specific rail terminals, a metric that indicates bottlenecks in agricultural supply chains. Higher dwell values suggest delays in loading or unloading, while lower values indicate faster throughput. The release provides a comparative view of operational efficiency across major rail networks and individual facilities during the specified week.
Norfolk Southern’s Roanoke, Virginia yard recorded the highest individual terminal dwell value at 48.4, followed by CPKC’s Shreveport, Louisiana terminal at 43.48 and Norfolk Southern’s Decatur, Illinois yard at 40.3. In contrast, CPKC’s Laredo facility showed minimal delay with a dwell value of 3.34. Several terminals appeared in the dataset without reported dwell values.
Key facts
- Norfolk Southern total dwell value: 333
- BNSF total dwell value: 293
- CSX total dwell value: 243.9
- CPKC total dwell value: 237.33
- Union Pacific total dwell value: 227.1
- CN total dwell value: 194.56
- Highest individual terminal dwell: Norfolk Southern Roanoke, Virginia (48.4)
- Lowest individual terminal dwell: CPKC Laredo, Texas (3.34)
Source: USDA AgTransport dataset release