(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, November 20, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Nov. 15, 2014 with 296,655 total carloads, up 0.3 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 273,695 units, up 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 570,350 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.4 percent compared with the same week last year.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, led by nonmetallic minerals with 37,297 carloads, up 9.6 percent. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2013 were led by grain with 23,313 carloads, down 3.9 percent.
For the first 46 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 13,425,089 carloads, up 3.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 12,003,887 intermodal units, up 5.3 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 46 weeks of 2014 was 25,428,976 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.3 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 82,869 carloads for the week, up 0.2 percent, and 56,282 intermodal units, down 0.6 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 46 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,711,685 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 2,636,537 intermodal units, up 6.3 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 26,429 carloads for the week, up 68.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 16,198 intermodal units, up 56.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 46 weeks of 2014 was 736,233 carloads, up 4.5 percent from the same point last year, and 497,647 intermodal units, up 6.4 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 46 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 17,873,007 carloads, up 3.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 15,138,071 intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.5 percent compared with last year.