(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on November 11.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on the nation’s railroads continued to run well ahead of year earlier levels during the week ended November 6, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight totaled 343,427 units, up 2.4 percent from the comparable week last year, with volume up 3.7 percent in the West and 0.8 percent in the East. Intermodal freight, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 233,559 trailers or containers, up 11.2 percent from last year. This was the second highest weekly intermodal total ever, trailing only the week ended October 30. Total volume was estimated at 32.2 billion ton-miles, up 2.5 percent from a year earlier.
Thirteen of 19 carload commodities registered gains from last year, with metallic ores up 15.2 percent; metals up 14.5 percent; nonmetallic minerals up 12.5 percent; and coal up 3.7 percent. Among commodities showing declines were motor vehicles and equipment, off 13.8 percent; primary forest products, down 11.5 percent, and grain, off 3.7 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 44 weeks of 2004: 14,834,314 carloads, up 2.9 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 9,307,696 trailers or containers, up 9.7 percent; and a revised total volume of an estimated 1.364 trillion ton-miles, up 5.2 percent from last year’s first 44 weeks.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended November 6, carload traffic totaled 71,026 cars, up 2.5 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 43,797 trailers or containers, down 3.7 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 44 weeks of 2004 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,957,926 carloads, up 7.4 percent from last year, and 1,849,672 trailers and containers, up 0.2 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 44 weeks of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 17,792,240 carloads, up 3.6 percent from last year and 11,157,368 trailers and containers, up 8.0 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended November 6 totaled 9,781 cars, up 18.4 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 4,020 originated trailers or containers, up 18.6 percent from the 44th week of 2003. For the first 44 weeks of 2004, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 384,251 cars, up 3.5 percent from last year, and 165,381 trailers or containers, up 7.3 percent.
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. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 90 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.