(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on April 10.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was up during the week ended April 5, in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal traffic totaled 191,508 trailers or containers, up 13.5 percent from last year. Container volume was up 16.3 percent while trailer traffic registered a 6.3 percent gain.
Carload freight, which does not include the intermodal data, totaled 328,700 cars during the week, up 3.2 percent from the corresponding week last year. Loadings were up 7.5 percent in the East, but down 0.2 percent in the West.
Total volume was estimated at 29.0 billion ton miles, up 4.7 percent from last year.
Ten out of 19 commodity groups were up from the corresponding week last year, with coke volume registering a 37.6 percent increase. Also up sharply were loading of motor vehicles and equipment, up 22.3 percent, and waste and scrap materials, up 19.6 percent. Coal was up 4.8 percent from last year. On the downside, loading of metallic ores were off by 23.7 percent and primary forest products declined by 7.5 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 14 weeks of 2003: 4,439,181 carloads, up 0.8 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 2,536,224 trailers and containers, up 9.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 395.8 billion ton?miles, up 0.8 percent from last year s first 14 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.
On Canadian railroads, intermodal volume was up while carload traffic was down during the week ended April 5. Intermodal traffic totaled 41,772 trailers or containers, up 8.9 percent from last year. Carload volume of 64,805 cars was down 0.9 percent from the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 14 weeks of 2003 on the Canadian railroads totaled 851,606 carloads, down 0.8 percent from last year, and 552,902 trailers or containers, up 11.8 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 14 weeks of 2003 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 5,290,787 carloads, up 0.5 percent from last year, and 3,089,126 trailers and containers, up 9.5 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended April 5 totaled 9,466 cars originated, down 1.4 percent from last year. TFM reported originated intermodal volume of 4,078 trailers or containers, up 63.9 percent from the 14th week of 2002.
For the first 14 weeks of 2003, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 123,803 cars, up 9.4 percent from last year, and 50,165 trailers or containers, up 50.8 percent.
AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.