(The Association of American Railroads posted the following release on its websit eon June 24.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the second consecutive week — and the fourth time this year — intermodal traffic on U.S. railroads set a weekly record during the week ended June 19, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported.
Intermodal volume of 220,285 trailers and containers was 12.4 percent above the corresponding week last year and 1,829 above the previous week when the old record was established. Trailer traffic was up 15.3 percent from last year while container volume showed a 11.5 percent gain.
Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, totaled 339,201 units, up 4.4 percent from last year. Total volume was estimated at 30.8 billion ton-miles, up 5.1 percent from the corresponding week last year.
Thirteen of 19 carload commodity groups showed gains from last year, with grain up 22.4 percent; metals up 12.5 percent; and coal up 4.7 percent. Among commodities registering declines were grain mill products, off 11.2 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment, down 8.5 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 24 weeks of 2004: 8,040,264 carloads, up 3.5 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 4,899,249 trailers or containers, up 8.7 percent; and total volume of an estimated 725.6 billion ton-miles, up 4.8 percent from last year’s first 24 weeks.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended June 19 carload traffic totaled 66,953 cars, up 11.0 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 42,924 trailers or containers, up less than one-tenth of one percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 24 weeks of 2004 on the Canadian railroads totaled 1,621,834 carloads, up 8.5 percent from last year, and 993,021 trailers and containers, down 0.1 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 24 weeks of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 9,662,098 carloads, up 4.3 percent from last year and 5,892,270 trailers and containers, up 7.2 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended June 19 totaled 11,382 cars, up 0.6 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 2,057 originated trailers or containers, down 53.5 percent from the 24th week of 2003. For the first 24 weeks of 2004, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 212,278 cars, up 1.4 percent from last year, and 72,003 trailers or containers, down 18.2 percent.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 88 percent of U.S. carload freight and 95 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 95 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 90 percent of Canadian rail traffic. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of U.S. intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.