(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, December 18, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Dec. 13, 2014, with 312,271 total carloads, up 12.1 percent compared with the same week in 2013. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280,337 units, up 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 592,608 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.4 percent compared with the same week last year.
All 10 of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, led by nonmetallic minerals with 36,165 carloads, up 28.8 percent; metallic ores and metals with 28,778 carloads, up 24.4 percent; petroleum and petroleum products with 17,074 carloads, up 23 percent; and, grain with 24,194 carloads, up 17.1 percent.
For the first 50 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 14,616,786 carloads, up 3.8 percent compared with the same point last year, and 13,042,623 intermodal units, up 5.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 50 weeks of 2014 was 27,659,409 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 81,894 carloads for the week, up 11.8 percent, and 59,796 intermodal units, up 10.8 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 50 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,040,157 carloads, up 2.1 percent from the same point last year, and 2,865,053 intermodal units, up 6.1 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,678 carloads for the week, up 0.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,557 intermodal units, up 5.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 50 weeks of 2014 was 789,805 carloads, up 3.1 percent from the same point last year, and 535,454 intermodal units, up 5.5 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 50 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 19,446,748 carloads, up 3.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 16,443,130 intermodal units, up 5.3 percent compared with last year.