(The Association of American Railroads posted the following release on its website on July 29.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The surge in intermodal traffic on U.S. railroads produced another record volume during the week ended July 24, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume during the week totaled 221,202 trailers and containers, more than in any previous week, breaking a record set just five weeks earlier when volume totaled 220,285 trailers and containers. This week’s total was 12.2 percent above the comparable week a year earlier, with container volume up 12.4 percent and trailer traffic up 11.5 percent. Nine of the ten busiest intermodal weeks on record have occurred just during the past three months.
Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, was also up for the week, totaling 335,075 units, up 2.1 percent from last year. Carload volume was up 2.8 percent in the West and 1.2 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 30.2 billion ton-miles, up 2.7 percent from the corresponding week last year.
Thirteen of 19 carload commodity groups were up from last year, with coke up 23.3 percent; nonmetallic minerals up 17.6 percent; metals up 11.4 percent; and lumber up 10.3 percent. Among commodities showing declines were motor vehicles and equipment, down 22.1 percent as some auto plants remained closed while preparing for the model changeover. Also down were grain mill products, off 6.8 percent, and primary forest products, down 6.4 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 29 weeks of 2004: 9,675,121 carloads, up 3.6 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 5,951,147 trailers or containers, up 9.3 percent; and total volume of an estimated 873.4 billion ton-miles, up 4.8 percent from last year’s first 29 weeks.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended July 24 carload traffic totaled 64,585 cars, up 6.5 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 41,588 trailers or containers, down 3.9 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 29 weeks of 2004 on the Canadian railroads totaled 1,941,300 carloads, up 8.7 percent from last year, and 1,201,374 trailers and containers, down 0.1 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 29 weeks of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 11,616,421 carloads, up 4.4 percent from last year and 7,152,521 trailers and containers, up 7.6 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended July 24 totaled 8,496 cars, up 5.8 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,187 originated trailers or containers, down 8.0 percent from the 29th week of 2003. For the first 29 weeks of 2004, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 247,326 cars, down 0.6 percent from last year, and 103,393 trailers or containers, down 0.9 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.