(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, September 19, 2013)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported increased weekly rail traffic for the week ending September 14, 2013 with total U.S. weekly carloads of 296,221 carloads, up 1.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 265,873 units, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. rail traffic for the week was 562,094 combined carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1 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 26,722, up 14.4 percent; and petroleum and petroleum products, also up 14.4 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain, with 17,744 carloads, down 9.8 percent.
For the first 37 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 13,355,569 carloads, down 1.0 percent from the same point last year, and 9,015,014 intermodal units, up 3.7 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 37 weeks of 2013 was 19,370,583 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.2 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 85,729 carloads for the week, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 58,693 intermodal units, up 5.1 percent compared with 2012. For the first 37 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,884,454 carloads, up 1.5 percent from the same point last year, and 1,971,695 intermodal units, up 4.2 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,018 carloads for the week, up 6.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,129 intermodal units, up 7.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 37 weeks of 2013 is 569,018 carloads, up 8.2 percent from the same point last year, and 368,475 intermodal units, up 1.6 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the 37 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 13,802,041 carloads, down 0.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 11,355,184 trailers and containers, up 3.7 percent compared with last year.