(From the Association of American Railroads website, November 13.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Led by another sharp increase in intermodal traffic, total freight volume on the nation?s railroads was up during the week ended November 8 the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal traffic totaled 210,118 trailers or containers, up 9.6 percent from the comparable week last year. Trailer traffic registered an 11.8 percent gain, while container volume rose 8.7 percent from last year.
Carload freight, which does not include the intermodal data, totaled 335,614 cars, up 0.1 percent from last year with volume up 0.5 percent in the East but down 0.3 percent in the West. Total volume was estimated at 30.4 billion ton-miles, up 2.7 percent from last year.
Thirteen of 19 carload commodity groups registered gains from last year, with farm products other than grain up 83.8 percent from last year; coke up 28.3 percent; and stone, clay and glass products, up 13.6 percent. Loadings of metallic ores were down 27.9 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 45 weeks of 2003: 14,691,692 carloads, down 0.1 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 8,613,873 trailers or containers, up 6.6 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.3 trillion ton-miles, up 1.2 percent from last year?s first 45 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.
Both intermodal and carload freight were also reported up on Canada?s railroads during the week ended November 8. Carload volume totaled 69,901 cars, up 9.2 percent, while intermodal traffic totaled 45,566 trailers or containers, up 6.8 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 45 weeks of 2003 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,810,596 carloads, down 0.1 percent from last year, and 1,882,055 trailers and containers, up 6.7 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 45 weeks of 2003 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 17,502,288 carloads, down 0.1 percent from last year and 10,495,928 trailers and containers, up 6.6 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 8 totaled 8,363 cars, down 6.0 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,442 originated trailers or containers, down 6.0 percent from the 45th week of 2002. For the first 45 weeks of 2003, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 379,200 cars, down 2.1 percent from last year, and 156,097 trailers or containers, up 14.2 percent.