(The Association of American Railroads posted the following report on its website on February 13.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Both intermodal and carload freight on U.S. railroads were up from last year during the week ended February 8, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume for the week totaled 185,543 trailers and containers, up 9.5 percent from the comparable 2002 week. Container traffic was up 14.7 percent, while trailer volume was off 4.0 percent.
Carload traffic, which doesn t include the intermodal data, totaled 320,769 cars, 3.2 percent above the total for the comparable week last year. Carload volume was up 3.2 percent in the East and 3.3 percent in the West. Total volume was estimated at 28.7 billion ton-miles, up 3.2 percent from 2002.
Thirteen out of 18 carload commodity groups were up in comparison with last year, with metallic ores registering a 53.8 percent gain; coke rose by 14.8 percent; and motor vehicles and equipment were up 10.6 percent. On the down side, coal was off by 1.9 percent from last year and grain was down 3.8 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first six weeks of 2003: 1,867,670 carloads, up 0.4 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 1,053,943 trailers and containers, up 10.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 166.1 billion ton?miles, up 0.1 percent from last year s first six weeks.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 90 percent of U.S. carload freight and 96 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 100 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.
Both carload and intermodal traffic were up Canadian railroads during the week ended February 8. Intermodal traffic totaled 40,525 trailers and containers, up 14.4 percent from last year. Carload volume of 63,684 cars was up 0.5 percent from the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first six weeks of 2003 on the Canadian railroads totaled 359,878 carloads, down 0.8 percent from last year, and 230,459 trailers and containers, up 17.0 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first six weeks of 2003 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 2,227,548 carloads, up 0.2 percent from last year and 1,284,402 trailers and containers, up 11.9 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended February 8 totaled 7,518 cars originated, up 49.8 percent from last year. TFM reported originated intermodal volume of 3,461 trailers or containers, up 187.0 percent from the sixth week of 2002.
For the first six weeks of 2003, TFM reported cumulative volume of 49,718 cars, up 24.7 percent from last year, and 19,916 trailers or containers, up 60.8 percent.