(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, October 9, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 4, 2014 with 299,674 total carloads, up 7.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 276,682 units, up 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 576,356 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.6 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, including petroleum and petroleum products with 16,037 carloads, up 26.9 percent; forest products with 11,622 carloads, up 10.9 percent; and coal with 107,884 carloads, up 8.9 percent.
For the first 40 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,622,497 carloads, up 3.6 percent compared with the same point last year, and 10,354,012 intermodal units, up 5.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 40 weeks of 2014 was 21,976,509 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 87,873 carloads for the week, up 0.4 percent, and 57,996 intermodal units, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 40 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,190,125 carloads, up 1.3 percent from the same point last year, and 2,290,364 intermodal units, up 6.8 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 17,955 carloads for the week, up 22.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,663 intermodal units, up 10.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 40 weeks of 2014 was 627,076 carloads, up 2.2 percent from the same point last year, and 421,175 intermodal units, up 4.4 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads for the first 40 weeks of 2014 totaled 15,439,698 carloads, up 3.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 13,065,551 intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.7 percent compared with last year.