(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, July 10, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 5, 2014 with 270,731 total carloads, up 9.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 227,097 units, up 10.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 497,828 carloads and intermodal units, up 9.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
All 10 of the carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, including motor vehicles and parts with 14,608 carloads, up 53.7 percent; grain with 18,121 carloads, up 21.7 percent; and metallic ores and metals with 26,749 carloads, up 14.5 percent.
For the first 27 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,719,025 carloads, up 3.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 6,869,537 intermodal units, up 6.1 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 27 weeks of 2014 was 14,588,562 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.6 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 77,193 carloads for the week, up 12.4 percent, and 57,349 intermodal units, up 12.9 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 27 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,111,569 carloads, up 0.3 percent from the same point last year, and 1,504,099 intermodal units, up 6.3 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,338 carloads for the week, down 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,823 intermodal units, up 12 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 27 weeks of 2014 was 417,805 carloads, up 1.6 percent from the same point last year, and 268,798 intermodal units, up 3.3 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 27 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 10,248,399 carloads, up 2.7 percent compared with the same point last year, and 8,642,434 intermodal trailers and containers, up 6 percent compared with last year.