(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on March 24.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads rose during the week ended March 19 in comparison with the corresponding week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight totaled 347,650 units during the week, up 3.6 percent (12,101 carloads) from a year ago, with loadings up 4.3 percent in the West and 2.8 percent in the East.
Intermodal volume for the week totaled 220,361 trailers and containers, up 6.5 percent (13,385 units) from a year ago, with containers up 4.9 percent and trailers gaining 10.7 percent.
Total volume for the week was estimated at 32.3 billion ton-miles, up 4.2 percent (1.3 billion ton-miles) from 2004.
In the carload segment, coal was up 6.5 percent (8,670 carloads) to 143,008 carloads for the week; coke was up 28.0 percent (1,538 carloads) to 7,023 carloads; and grain was up 3.6 percent (802 carloads) to 23,355 carloads. All told, 14 of the 19 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR rose for the week. Commodities seeing carload declines for the week included motor vehicles and equipment (down 4.4 percent, or 1,130 carloads, to 24,283 carloads) and waste and scrap materials (down 6.6 percent, or 711 carloads, to 10,124 carloads).
Cumulative volume for the first 11 weeks of 2005 on U.S. railroads totaled 3,710,363 carloads, up 2.8 percent (102,298 carloads) from 2004; 2,365,766 trailers and containers, up 9.2 percent (199,972 units); and total volume of an estimated 344.5 billion ton-miles, up 3.7 percent (12.2 billion ton-miles) from last year.
On Canadian railroads, carload traffic during the week ended March 19 totaled 70,045 cars, up 2.0 percent (1,356 carloads) from last year, while intermodal volume totaled 43,024 trailers and containers, up 10.6 percent (4,109 units) from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 11 weeks of 2005 on Canadian railroads totaled 729,349 carloads, up 2.5 percent (18,012 carloads) from last year, and 454,661 trailers and containers, up 6.8 percent (28,759 units) from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 11 weeks of 2005 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 4,439,712 carloads, up 2.8 percent (120,310 carloads) from last year, and 2,820,427 trailers and containers, up 8.8 percent (228,731 units) from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended March 19 totaled 8,598 cars, up 1.9 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,572 originated trailers and containers, down 12.5 percent from the corresponding week of 2004. For the first 11 weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 95,169 cars, up 6.0 percent (5,366 carloads) from last year, and 42,160 trailers and containers, up 11.2 percent (4,244 units).
Railroads reporting to the AAR account for 88 percent of U.S. carload freight and 95 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 95 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 90 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.