(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on May 29.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads edged lower during the week ended May 24 in comparison with the comparable week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight in the week totaled 330,208 cars, down 1.7 percent from last year. Volume was down 0.7 percent in the West and 2.8 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 233,549 trailers or containers, down 0.9 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was up 0.6 percent while container traffic dropped 1.3 percent.
Total volume was estimated at 34.0 billion ton-miles, down 1.2 percent from the 21st week of 2007.
Six of 19 carload commodities registered gains from a year ago with grain climbing 12.7 percent, metallic ores jumping 38.3 percent and waste and scrap materials rising 11.6 percent. Among commodities reporting declines were motor vehicles and equipment, 23.2 percent, lumber and wood products, 12.7 percent, and nonmetallic minerals, 14.2 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 21 weeks of 2008 totaled 6,839,694 carloads, up 1.1 percent from 2007; 4,633,948 trailers or containers, down 3.2 percent; and total volume of an estimated 707.4 billion ton-miles, up 2.3 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended May 24 carload traffic totaled 76,834 cars, down 0.9 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 45,768 trailers or containers, up 7.6 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 21 weeks of 2008 on the Canadian railroads totaled 1,560,042 carloads, down 3.7 percent from last year, and 984,349 trailers and containers, an increase of 4.5 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 21 weeks of 2008 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 8,399,736 carloads, up 0.1 percent from last year, and 5,618,297 trailers and containers, a 1.9 percent decrease from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) during the week ended May 24 totaled 11,387 cars, up 1.3 percent from last year. KCSM reported intermodal volume of 5,224 trailers or containers, up 4.0 percent from the 21st week of 2007.
For the first 21 weeks of 2008, KCSM reported cumulative volume of 218,624 cars, down 3.8 percent from last year, and 99,626 trailers or containers, up 11.7 percent.
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.