(The Association of American Railroads circulated the following on August 18.)
WASHINGTON — All three measures of rail freight traffic — carloads, intermodal and ton-miles — were up during the week ended August 13 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight for the week totaled 339,019 cars, up 1.1 percent from last year. Carload traffic was up 3.3 percent in the East but down 0.8 percent in the West.
Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 234,558 trailers or containers, up 7.0 percent from last year, with containers up 8.4 percent and trailers up 3.0 percent. It was the highest volume for any week this year, and the fourth highest week ever for intermodal.
Total volume was estimated at 33.5 billion ton-miles, up 1.8 percent from last year. This was the second busiest week ever for total rail freight volume.
Twelve of 19 carload commodity groups were up from last year. Double digit increase were reported in loadings of farm products other than grain, up 50.5 percent; nonmetallic minerals, up 19.2 percent; and grain mill products, up 12.0 percent. Among seven commodity groups registering declines from last year were primary forest products, down 7.2 percent, and petroleum products, off 5.6 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 32 weeks of 2005 totaled 10,627,596 carloads, up 1.4 percent from 2004; 7,010,248 trailers or containers, up 6.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.02 trillion ton-miles, up 2.3 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended August 13 carload traffic totaled 74,647 cars, off 0.7 percent from last year, while intermodal volume totaled 45,587 trailers or containers, up 8.1 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 32 weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,420,385 carloads, down 0.4 percent from last year, and 1,352,011 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 32 weeks of 2005 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 13,047,981 carloads, up 1.1 percent from last year and 8,362,259 trailers and containers, up 5.5 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended August 13 totaled 7,919 cars, down 9.8 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,880 originated trailers or containers, down 10.1 percent from the 32nd week of 2004. For the first 32 weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 272,405 cars, down 0.1 percent from last year, and 122,036 trailers or containers, up 6.0 percent.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 87 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. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 91 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.
AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.