(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, October 6, 2011)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported gains for September rail traffic compared with the same month last year, with U.S. railroads originating 1,195,671 carloads, up 1.1 percent, and 949,606 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent. Through the third quarter of 2011, U.S. carloads are at 87 percent of the levels they were at this point in 2006, the highest year on record for U.S. rail traffic. Intermodal volume in the first nine months of 2011 is 96 percent of what it was in the peak year of 2006.
Rail employment continues to make gains, with 1,191 jobs added in August 2011, the latest month for employment data, bringing total Class I freight railroad employment to 160,107. During September, rail car owners brought 11,087 cars out of storage, leaving roughly 17.1 percent of the North American rail car fleet remaining in storage. Detailed monthly data charts and tables will be made available in the AAR’s Rail Time Indicators report to be released tomorrow.
In September 2011, 13 of the 20 carload commodity categories saw increases on U.S. railroads compared with September 2010. The largest gains were: coal, up 6,356 carloads or 1.2 percent; primary metal products, up 5,272 carloads or 14.4 percent, and motor vehicles and parts, up 4,445 carloads or 8.2 percent. In percentage terms, the biggest increase in U.S. carloads in September was in petroleum and petroleum products, up 16.1 percent. Compared with September 2010, grain carloads in September 2011 were down 16,849 carloads or 18.2 percent, continuing a three month-long slide.
Full story: www.aar.org