(The Association of American Railroads posted the following story on its website on February 12.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Intermodal traffic was up, but carload freight was down on U.S. railroads during the week ended February 7 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal traffic totaled 198,977 trailers or containers, up 7.2 percent from the comparable week last year. Container traffic registered a 4.1 percent gain, while trailer volume rose 16.8 percent from last year.
Carload freight, which does not include the intermodal data, totaled 307,449 cars, down 4.1 percent from last year with volume down 5.1 percent in the West and 2.9 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 27.5 billion ton-miles, down 3.2 percent from last year. Winter storms in some sections of the country may have affected rail traffic volumes during the week.
Thirteen of the19 carload commodity groups were down compared with last year, with metallic ores off 14.5 percent, coal down 8.4 percent and motor vehicles and equipment off 7.6 percent. Five commodity groups showed gains, with coke up 36.4 percent, nonmetallic minerals up 16.4 percent and crushed stone, sand and gravel up 11.6 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first five weeks of 2004: 1,613,117 carloads, up 1.2 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 980,712 trailers or containers, up 5.8 percent; and total volume of an estimated 144.0 billion ton-miles, up 2.3 percent from last year’s first five 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.
Canadian railroads reported an increase in intermodal volume but a decline in carload freight during the week ended February 7. Carload volume totaled 59,371 cars, down 5.4 percent. Intermodal traffic totaled 40,766 trailers or containers, up 1.8 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first five weeks of 2004 on the Canadian railroads totaled 310,512 carloads, up 1.4 percent from last year, and 196,455 trailers and containers, down 1.3 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first five weeks of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 1,923,629 carloads, up 1.2 percent from last year and 1,177,167 trailers and containers, up 4.5 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended February 7 totaled 7,557 cars, up 0.5 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,119 originated trailers or containers, down 9.9 percent from the fifth week of 2003. For the first five weeks of 2004, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 39,422 cars, down 8.4 percent from last year, and 14,925 trailers or containers, down 18.6 percent.