(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, September 12, 2013)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported increased weekly rail traffic for the week ending September 7, 2013 with total U.S. weekly carloads of 278,594 carloads, up 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 228,899 units, up 6.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. rail traffic for the week – which included the Labor Day holiday – was 507,493 combined carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, led by motor vehicles and parts with 14,951 carloads, up 21.9 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included farm and food products, excluding grain, with 14,710 carloads, down 8.6 percent.
For the first 36 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,059,348 carloads, down 1.0 percent from the same point last year, and 8,749,141 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 36 weeks of 2013 was 18,808,489 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 77,513 carloads for the week, up 1.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,837 intermodal units, up 6.5 percent compared with 2012. For the first 36 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,798,725 carloads, up 1.3 percent from the same point last year, and 1,913,002 intermodal units, up 4.1 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 14,567 carloads for the week, up 2.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,196 intermodal units, down 12.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 36 weeks of 2013 is 554,000 carloads, up 8.3 percent from the same point last year, and 356,346 intermodal units, up 1.4 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the 36 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 13,412,073 carloads, down 0.2 percent compared with the same point last year, and 11,018,489 trailers and containers, up 3.7 percent compared with last year.