(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, February 11, 2015)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Feb. 7, 2015. Total U.S. weekly rail traffic for the week was 511,563 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending Feb. 7, 2015 were 273,648 carloads, up 4.7 percent compared with the same week in 2014 while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 237,915 containers and trailers, down 3.3 percent compared to 2014.
Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2014, led by grain, up 15.9 percent to 21,179 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, up 8.7 percent to 30,259 carloads; and forest products, up 7.3 percent to 11,422 carloads. The two commodity groups that posted decreases for the week ending Feb. 7, 2015 were farm products, down 2.9 percent to 16,290 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, down 0.1 percent to 15,429 carloads.
For the first five weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,434,490 carloads, up 5.4 percent from the same point last year, and 1,242,982 intermodal units, which was flat compared to last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first five weeks of 2015 was 2,677,472 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9 percent from last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending Feb. 7, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 363,589 carloads, up 5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 303,894 intermodal units, down 0.7 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 667,483 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first five weeks of 2015 was 3,491,897 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5 compared with 2014.
Canadian railroads reported 75,456 carloads for the week, up 7.3 percent, and 56,229 intermodal units, up 11 percent compared with the same week in 2014. For the first five weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 681,433 carloads, containers and trailers, up 11.6 percent
Mexican railroads reported 14,485 carloads for the week, down 1.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,750 intermodal units, up 4.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first five weeks of 2015 was 132,992 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.3 percent from the same point last year.