(The Association of American Railroads posted the following news release on its website on September 25.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In spite of Hurricane Isabel, which shut down some East Coast rail operations, freight traffic on U.S. railroads was up during the week ended September 20 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Total volume for the week was estimated at 30.3 billion ton-miles, up 3.4 percent from the comparable 2002 week. Carload freight registered a 1.7 percent gain, totaling 343,308 cars, with volume up 3.9 percent in the West but down 1.0 percent in the East. Intermodal traffic, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 202,567 trailers and containers, down 1.5 percent from last year.
Fourteen of 19 carload commodity groups were up from last year, with grain gaining 23.7 percent; coke rising 35.0 percent; and waste & scrap up 8.8 percent. On the downside, loadings of metals fell 11.7 percent while metallic ores declined by 9.6 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 38 weeks of 2003: 12,292,236 carloads, down 0.3 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 7,145,207 trailers or containers, up 5.0 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.09 trillion ton-miles, up 0.9 percent from last year?s first 38 weeks.
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. 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 the same pattern as U.S. carriers, with carload freight up but intermodal down during the week ended September 20. Intermodal traffic totaled 41,200 trailers and containers, down 3.5 percent from last year. Carload volume of 66,970 cars, was 1.7 percent above the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 38 weeks of 2003 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,325,262 carloads, down 1.3 percent from last year, and 1,570,390 trailers and containers, up 7.5 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 38 weeks of 2003 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 14,617,498 carloads, down 0.4 percent from last year and 8,715,597 trailers and containers, up 5.4 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended September 20 totaled 7,331 cars, down 17.1 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 2,906 originated trailers or containers, down 10.3 percent from the 38th week of 2002. For the first 38 weeks of 2003, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 320,668 cars, down 0.8 percent from last year, and 132,073 trailers or containers, up 20.0 percent.