(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on January 15.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off slightly during the first full week of 2004 in compared to last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight totaled 317,986 cars, down 3.2 percent from last year, with loadings off 4.4 percent in the East and 2.2 percent in the West. Intermodal traffic, which isn?t included in the carload data, totaled 188,722 trailers or containers, up 1.1 percent from the comparable week last year. Total volume was estimated at 28.2 billion ton-miles, down 2.1 percent from last year.
Ten of 19 carload commodity groups registered gains in comparison with last year, with coke up 36.1 percent; grain mill products up 15.9 percent; and waste and scrap materials up 15.0 percent. Among commodities down from last year were motor vehicles and equipment, off 27.4 percent; lumber and wood products, down 13.3 percent; and coal, off 6.5 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. 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.
Carload freight was up but intermodal volume down on Canada?s railroads during the week ended January 10. Carload volume totaled 63,287 cars, up 2.3 percent, with agricultural products registering a 37.6 percent gain. Intermodal traffic totaled 39,954 trailers or containers, down 3.1 percent from last year.
Combined volume for the first week of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 381,273 carloads, down 2.3 percent from last year and 228,676 trailers and containers, up 0.4 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended January 10 totaled 7,722 cars, down 12.9 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 2,303 originated trailers or containers, down 28.4 percent from the first week of 2003.