(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on February 26, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to show the effects of the economic slowdown during the week ended February 21 as volume remained well below totals reported during the comparison week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
U.S carload freight totaled 278,827 cars, down 14.2 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 12.8 percent in the West and 16.0 percent in the East.
Intermodal volume of 168,194 trailers or containers was off 25.3 percent from last year, with container volume falling 23.4 percent and trailer volume dropping 32.3 percent. This year’s total was affected by the Lunar New Year while the 2008 total was not.
Total volume was estimated at 29.6 billion ton-miles, off 13.2 percent from 2008.
All but one of nineteen carload commodity groups was off last week in comparison with last year, with the only increase being registered by the miscellaneous category of “all other carloads” which was up 42.2 percent.
For the first seven weeks of 2009, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,893,051 carloads, down 15.9 percent from 2008; 1,339,230 trailers or containers, down 15.0 percent; and total volume of an estimated 201.0 billion ton-miles, down 14.7 percent.
Canadian railroads reported volume of 64,053 cars for the week, down 13.7 percent from last year, and 38,821 trailers or containers, down 15.7 percent. For the first seven weeks of 2009, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 437,089 carloads, down 18.2 percent from last year; and 293,412 trailers or containers, down 10.9 percent.
Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 12,175 cars, down 1.3 percent from last year’s seventh week, and 5,923 trailers or containers, off 1.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first seven weeks of 2009 was reported as 75,997 carloads, down 11.3 percent from last year; and 33,778 trailers or containers, down 16.7 percent.
Combined North American rail volume for the first seven weeks of 2009 on 14 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 2,406,137 carloads, down 16.2 percent from last year, and 1,666,420 trailers and containers, down 14.3 percent from last year.
Note: the recent acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern by Canadian National has resulted in some reporting changes that affect current totals and comparisons with 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.