(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on September 22.)
WASHINGTON — U.S. freight railroads broke two weekly volume records during the week ended September 17, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Total volume of an estimated 34.6 billion ton-miles broke the previous record of 33.8 billion set during the week ended July 30 while intermodal volume of 244,897 trailers or containers broke the previous record of 238,961 set during the week ended November 20, 2004.
Ton-miles were up 4.2 percent from the 37th week of 2004 while intermodal was 6.9 percent above last year.
Carload freight, which does not include the intermodal data, was also strong during the week. The total of 350,841 was up 3.4 percent from last year, with volume up 8.0 percent in the East but down 0.1 percent in the West.
Sixteen of 19 carload commodities were up from last year, with the greatest gains reported in loadings of farm products other than grain up 36.0 percent; lumber and wood products up 14.8 percent; petroleum products up 14.4 percent; and crushed stone, sand and gravel up 13.5 percent. On the negative side, loadings of metallic ores were down 19.3 percent and automotive shipments were off 3.5 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 37 weeks of 2005 totaled 12,323,245 carloads, up 1.5 percent from 2004; 8,169,890 trailers or containers, up 6.3 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.18 trillion ton-miles, up 2.4 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended September 17 carload traffic totaled 78,731 cars, up 0.3 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 46,712 trailers or containers, up 6.7 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 37 weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,797,922 carloads, down 0.4 percent from last year, and 1,575,768 trailers and containers, up 2.9 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 37 weeks of 2005 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 15,121,167 carloads, up 1.1 percent from last year and 9,745,658 trailers and containers, up 5.7 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended September 17 totaled 7,969 cars, down 9.4 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,352 originated trailers or containers, up 10.7 percent from the 37th week of 2004. For the first 37 weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 312,401 cars, down 1.8 percent from last year, and 141,125 trailers or containers, up 4.6 percent.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 87 percent of U.S. carload freight and 96 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 91 percent of Canadian rail traffic. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of U.S. intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.
AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.