WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off during the week ended March 9 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported yesterday.
Intermodal traffic totaled 163,960 trailers and containers, down 2.1 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, totaled 312,819 cars, down 6.4 percent from last year, with volume down 5.5 percent in the East and 7.1 percent in the West. Total volume was estimated at 27.4 billion ton-miles, down 4.9 percent from last year’s tenth week.
Loadings of lumber and wood products gained 14.0 percent from last year and loadings of farm products other than grain were up 13.8 percent. Sharp declines were reported in loadings of coke, down 31.4 percent; grain, off 11.0 percent; primary forest products, down 10.9 percent; and coal, off 10.8 percent. In all, 11 of 19 commodity groups declined from the comparable 2001 week.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first ten weeks of 2002: 3,167,094 carloads, down 3.0 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 1,644,636 trailers and containers, down 0.3 percent; and total volume of an estimated 277.6 billion ton-miles, down 1.4 percent from last year’s first ten weeks.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 90 percent of U.S. carload freight and 97 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 99 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 gains in intermodal traffic but a decline in carload freight during the week ended March 9. Intermodal traffic totaled 36,909 trailers and containers, up 8.7 percent from last year. Carload volume was 59,788 cars, down 5.1 percent from the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first ten weeks of 2002 on the Canadian railroads totaled 590,006 carloads, down 5.5 percent from last year, and 343,302 trailers and containers, up 1.8 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first ten weeks of 2002 on 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 3,757,100 carloads, down 3.4 percent from last year and 1,987,938 trailers and containers, up 0.1 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended March 9 totaled 9,763 cars originated or received from connecting lines, down 18.4 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,699 trailers or containers, down 6.2 percent from the tenth week of 2001. For the first ten weeks of 2002, TFM reported cumulative volume of 99,598 cars, down 8.0 percent from last year, and 30,871 trailers or containers, down 10.6 percent.
AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.