(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on May 1.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sharp gains in loadings of coal and grain were large enough to offset drops in metallic ores, automotive traffic and lumber and produce a small gain in carload freight on the nation’s railroads during the week ended April 26, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight in the week ended April 26 totaled 335,865 cars, up 0.3 percent from last year. Volume was up 4.1 percent in the West but down 4.5 percent in the East.
Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 224,365 trailers or containers, down 4.4 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 2.5 percent while container traffic dropped 4.9 percent.
Total volume was estimated at 34.7 billion ton-miles, up 1.8 percent from the 17th week of 2007.
Six of 19 carload commodities registered gains from a year ago with grain climbing 20.1 and coal up 7.6 percent. Among commodities reporting declines were motor vehicles and equipment, 22.3 percent, lumber and wood products, 19.1 percent, and nonmetallic minerals, 12.8 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 17 weeks of 2008 totaled 5,505,571 carloads, up 1.0 percent from 2007; 3,711,547 trailers or containers, down 3.5 percent; and total volume of an estimated 569.6 billion ton-miles, up 2.2 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended April 26 carload traffic totaled 76,896 cars, down 6.2 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 48,556 trailers or containers, up 2.2 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 17 weeks of 2008 on the Canadian railroads totaled 1,257,213 carloads, down 3.2 percent from last year, and 790,343 trailers and containers, an increase of 4.4 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 17 weeks of 2008 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 6,762,784 carloads, up 0.2 percent from last year, and 4,501,890 trailers and containers, a 2.2 percent decrease from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) during the week ended April 26 totaled 10,629 cars, down 12.9 percent from last year. KCSM reported intermodal volume of 5,345 trailers or containers, up 23.9 percent from the 17th week of 2007.
For the first 17 weeks of 2008, KCSM reported cumulative volume of 176,205 cars, down 4.1 percent from last year, and 81,063 trailers or containers, up 14.8 percent.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 89 percent of U.S. carload freight and 98 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.