Near-term rail tank car sublease rates were up slightly this week, as climbing crude prices and planning for coming days seemed to take center stage despite a bumpy start to spring weather.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures this week topped out at $69.56 per bbl, the highest level seen since Nov. 28, 2014. International benchmark Brent crude rose 30 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $73.79 per bbl.

Energy market participants have kept close watch on the price differential of WTI to Western Canada Select (WCS) crude prices as a widening differential had many participants moving oil out of Alberta in previous months, to the point that the activity added to already congested cond...