(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on July 31.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total freight traffic on the nation’s railroads was down slightly during the week ended July 26 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Total volume was estimated at 28.8 billion ton-miles, down 1.4 percent from last year. Carload freight totaled 328,910 units, down 2.6 percent from last year, with loadings up 0.3 percent in the East but down 4.9 percent in the West. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 197,145 trailers or containers, up 3.3 percent from the comparable week last year.
Twelve out of 19 commodity groups reported declines in carload volume compared to last year, with motor vehicles and equipment dropping 13.5 percent; metallic ores falling 13.1 percent; and coal off 3.7 percent. Among commodities showing increases from last year were coke, up 43.1 percent, and stone, clay and glass products which rose 4.2 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 30 weeks of 2003: 9,616,825 carloads, down 0.1 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 5,574,943 trailers or containers, up 6.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 847.8 billion ton-miles, up 0.7 percent from last year’s first 30 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.
Both intermodal and carload freight were up on Canadian railroads during the week ended July 26. Intermodal traffic totaled 43,433 trailers and containers, up 9.5 percent from last year. Carload volume of 61,202 cars, was up 4.1 percent from the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 30 weeks of 2003 on the Canadian railroads totaled 1,835,661 carloads, down 1.2 percent from last year, and 1,236,180 trailers and containers, up 9.3 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 30 weeks of 2003 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 11,452,486 carloads, down 0.2 percent from last year and 6,811,123 trailers and containers, up 6.7 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended July 26 totaled 8,324 cars, up 1.4 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,289 originated trailers or containers, down 7.9 percent from the 30th week of 2002. For the first 30 weeks of 2003, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 256,735 cars, up 1.7 percent from last year, and 105,994 trailers or containers, up 28.5 percent.