(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, December 11, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On December 11, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Dec. 6, 2014, with 311,955 total carloads, up 11.7 percent compared with the same week in 2013. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 268,153 units, up 2.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 580,108 carloads and intermodal units, up 7 percent compared with the same week last year.
Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, including grain with 25,819 carloads, up 25.5 percent; nonmetallic minerals with 36,076 carloads, up 17 percent; and, metallic ores and metals with 28,285 carloads, up 14.8 percent. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2013 included farm products, excluding grain and food, with 17,539 carloads, down 0.2 percent.
For the first 49 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 14,304,515 carloads, up 3.6 percent compared with the same point last year, and 12,762,286 intermodal units, up 5.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 49 weeks of 2014 was 27,066,801 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.3 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 83,467 carloads for the week, up 9 percent, and 55,992 intermodal units, up 2.9 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 49 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,958,263 carloads, up 1.9 percent from the same point last year, and 2,805,257 intermodal units, up 6 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,786 carloads for the week, up 3.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,593 intermodal units, up 2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 49 weeks of 2014 was 774,127 carloads, up 3.1 percent from the same point last year, and 524,897 intermodal units, up 5.5 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 49 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 19,036,905 carloads, up 3.2 percent compared with the same point last year, and 16,092,440 intermodal units, up 5.3 percent compared with last year.