(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on November 9.)
WASHINGTON — Intermodal volume was up but carload freight was down on U.S. railroads during the week ended November 4 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume of 250,090 trailers or containers was up 2.0 percent from the comparable week last year. Container volume rose 5.9 percent for the week while trailer volume declined by 8.8 percent.
Carload freight totaled 336,904 cars, down 0.4 percent from last year, with loadings up less than one-tenth of one percent in the East but down 0.7 percent in the West.
Total volume was estimated at 34.5 billion ton-miles, virtually the same as a year ago.
Eight of 19 individual carload commodities showed increases from last year, with petroleum products up 7.5 percent, crushed stone, sand and gravel up 6.5 percent and coal up 3.2 percent. Loadings of lumber and wood products fell 21.0 percent from last year while primary forest products dropped 19.5 percent and stone, clay and glass products were off 16.1 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 44 weeks of 2006 totaled 14,828,198 carloads, up 1.4 percent from 2005; 10,460,377 trailers or containers, up 5.8 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.48 trillion ton-miles, up 2.6 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended November 4 carload traffic totaled 75,905 cars, down 3.7 percent from last year while intermodal volume of 48,283 trailers or containers was up 1.3 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 44 weeks of 2006 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,288,337 carloads, down 1.4 percent from last year, and 2,005,156 trailers and containers, up 5.4 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 44 weeks of 2006 on 13 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 18,116,535 carloads, up 0.8 percent from last year and 12,465,533 trailers and containers, up 5.7 percent from last year.
The AAR also said that during the week ended November 4 Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) reported total carload volume of 12,166 cars, up 13.9 percent from last year. KCSM reported total intermodal volume of 5,248 trailers or containers, up 32.2 percent from the 44th week of 2005.
For the first 44 weeks of 2006, KCSM reported total cumulative volume of 501,679 cars, down 3.2 percent from last year, and 178,407 trailers or containers, down 1.9 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.