(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, November 13, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Nov. 8, 2014 with 297,694 total carloads, up 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 271,113 units, up 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 568,807 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1 percent compared with the same week last year.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, including and nonmetallic minerals with 38,304 carloads, up 13 percent, and petroleum and petroleum products with 16,186 carloads, up 12.4 percent. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2013 were led by motor vehicles and parts with 16,868 carloads, down 12.8 percent.
For the first 45 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 13,128,434 carloads, up 3.5 percent compared with the same point last year, and 11,730,192 intermodal units, up 5.4 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 45 weeks of 2014 was 24,858,626 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 85,893 carloads for the week, up 0.4 percent, and 54,537 intermodal units, down 3.1 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 45 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,628,816 carloads, up 1.9 percent from the same point last year, and 2,580,255 intermodal units, up 6.4 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,343 carloads for the week, up 0.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,095 intermodal units, up 14.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 45 weeks of 2014 was 709,804 carloads, up 3 percent from the same point last year, and 481,449 intermodal units, up 5.3 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 45 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 17,467,054 carloads, up 3.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 14,791,896 intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.6 percent compared with last year.