Old Man Buffet’s Railroads See a Slowdown in Pre-Holiday Shipping

“North American railroads from Warren Buffett’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe to CSX Corp. (CSX) are bracing for limited increases in pre-holiday shipments as weak consumer sentiment exacerbates shrinking corn and coal loads.

BNSF, which moves imported Asian consumer goods from West Coast ports, hasn’t seen a measurable gain in holiday-related volumes, Chief Marketing Officer John Lanigan said this week. CSX, the biggest carrier in the eastern U.S., and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP) both forecast a “modest” advance.”

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