(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, May 22, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 17, 2014 with 298,932 total U.S. carloads, up 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 267,061 units, up 6.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 565,993 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.6 percent compared with the same week last year.
Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, led by grain with 21,016 carloads, up 37.6 percent. The commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year were led by chemicals with 30,965 carloads, down 0.2 percent.
For the first 20 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,680,070 carloads, up 2.7 percent compared with the same point last year, and 5,053,519 intermodal units, up 5.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 20 weeks of 2014 was 10,733,589 carloads and intermodal units, up 4 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 86,342 carloads for the week, up 8.2 percent, and 60,883 intermodal units, up 9.9 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 20 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,518,821 carloads, down 3.6 percent from the same point last year, and 1,090,676 intermodal units, up 5 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 16,173 carloads for the week, up 4.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,762 intermodal units, up 6.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 20 weeks of 2014 was 303,412 carloads, up 2 percent from the same point last year, and 193,129 intermodal units, up 2.5 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 7,502,303 carloads, up 1.3 percent compared with the same point last year, and 6,337,324 intermodal trailers and containers, up 5.3 percent compared with last year.