WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads declined during the week ended March 16 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on March 21.
Intermodal traffic totaled 169,606 trailers and containers, down 2.6 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, totaled 319,310 cars, down 6.2 percent from last year, with volume down 6.0 percent in the East and 6.4 percent in the West. Total volume was estimated at 28.0 billion ton-miles, down 5.1 percent from last year’s eleventh week.
Seven of nineteen commodities registered gains from last year, with grain mill products up 10.6 percent, crushed stone, gravel and sand up 9.9 percent and nonmetallic minerals up 9.4 percent. Sharp declines were reported in loadings of coke, 30.4 percent; metallic ores, 13.5 percent; coal, 12.0 percent; primary forest products, 10.4 percent; and grain, 10.3 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 11 weeks of 2002: 3,483,095 carloads, down 3.4 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 1,814,242 trailers and containers, down 0.5 percent; and total volume of an estimated 305.6 billion ton-miles, down 1.7 percent from last year’s first 11 weeks.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 90 percent of U.S. carload freight and 97 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 99 percent. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of the nation’s intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.
Canadian railroads reported gains in intermodal traffic but a decline in carload freight during the week ended March 16. Intermodal traffic totaled 35,558 trailers and containers, up 0.7 percent from last year. Carload volume was 61,665 cars, down 4.9 percent from the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 11 weeks of 2002 on the Canadian railroads totaled 651,671 carloads, down 5.4 percent from last year, and 378,860 trailers and containers, up 1.7 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 11 weeks of 2002 on 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 4,134,766 carloads, down 3.7 percent from last year and 2,193,102 trailers and containers, down 0.1 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended March 16 totaled 13,269 cars originated or received from connecting lines, up 10.6 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 2,095 trailers or containers, down 44.6 percent from the 11th week of 2001. For the first 11 weeks of 2002, TFM reported cumulative volume of 112,867 cars, down 6.2 percent from last year, and 32,966 trailers or containers, down 14.0 percent.
AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.