(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on January 29, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to trend downward during the third week of 2009, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today. Carload freight totaled 267,634 cars, down 14.6 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 9.2 percent in the West and 22.1 percent in the East. Intermodal volume of 195,182 trailers or containers was off 7.1 percent from last year, with container volume falling 2.3 percent and trailer volume dipping 23.9 percent. Total volume was estimated at 28.4 billion ton-miles, off 13.4 percent from 2008.
Eighteen of nineteen carload commodity groups were off last week in comparison with last year, with the only increase being reported in the miscellaneous category of “all other carloads”, which was up 4.1 percent.
For the first three weeks of 2009, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 806,168 carloads, down 16.8 percent from 2008; 598,402 trailers or containers, down 11.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 85.5 billion ton-miles, down 15.5 percent. Canadian railroads reported volume of 63,844 cars for the week, down 13.9 percent from last year, and 41,284 trailers or containers, down 12.3 percent. For the first three weeks of 2009, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 178,890 carloads, down 20.9 percent from last year; and 126,217 trailers or containers, down 14.2 percent.
Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 11,205 cars, down 0.2 percent from last year’s third week, and 4,908 trailers or containers, off 6.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first three weeks of 2009 was reported as 30,799 carloads, down 9.5 percent from last year; and 13,732 trailers or containers, down 12.8 percent.
Combined North American rail volume for the three weeks of 2009 on 14 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 1,015,857 carloads, down 17.3 percent from last year, and 738,351 trailers and containers, down 12.3 percent from last year.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 89 percent of U.S. carload freight and 98 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 91 percent of Canadian rail traffic. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of U.S. intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.