(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on October 26.)
WASHINGTON — Intermodal volume was up but carload freight was down on U.S. railroads during the week ended October 21 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume of 253,387 trailers or containers was up 1.3 percent from the comparable week last year. Container volume rose 5.8 percent for the week while trailer volume declined by 11.8 percent.
Carload freight totaled 339,525 cars, down 1.1 percent from last year, with loadings up 0.9 percent in the West but off 3.5 percent in the East.
Total volume was estimated at 34.8 billion ton-miles, up 0.3 percent from 2005.
Only five of 19 individual carload commodities showed increases from last year, with coke up 6.4 percent, coal up 6.0 percent, and farm products other than grain up 4.9 percent. On the downside, primary forest products were down 22.1 percent, lumber and wood products fell 20.5 percent and metallic ores were off 18.8 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 42 weeks of 2006 totaled 14,152,678 carloads, up 1.4 percent from 2005; 9,958,449 trailers or containers, up 5.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.41 trillion ton-miles, up 2.7 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended October 21 carload traffic totaled 77,054 cars, down 3.9 percent from last year while intermodal volume of 49,241 trailers or containers was up 2.9 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 42 weeks of 2006 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,136,686 carloads, down 1.2 percent from last year, and 1,906,506 trailers and containers, up 5.6 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 42 weeks of 2006 on 13 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 17,289,364 carloads, up 0.9 percent from last year and 11,864,955 trailers and containers, up 5.9 percent from last year.
The AAR also said that during the week ended October 21 Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) reported total carload volume of 11,400 cars, down 3.6 percent from last year. KCSM reported total intermodal volume of 4,109 trailers or containers, down 2.6 percent from the 42nd week of 2005.
For the first 42 weeks of 2006, KCSM reported total cumulative volume of 477,980 cars, down 3.5 percent from last year, and 168,068 trailers or containers, down 3.2 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.