(The AAR issued the following news release on March 10.)
WASHINGTON — All three measures of rail freight traffic for U.S. railroads showed increases during the week ended March 5 in comparison with the corresponding week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume for the week totaled 215,066 trailers and containers, up 7.6 percent from a year ago, with containers up 9.2 percent and trailers gaining 3.3 percent.
Carload freight totaled 343,546 units during the week, up 4.1 percent from a year ago with loadings up 6.5 percent in the West and 1.3 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 32.1 billion ton-miles, up 5.6 percent from 2004.
In the carload segment, loadings of petroleum products were up 12.5 percent; coal volume rose 9.2 percent; and crushed stone, sand and gravel gained 7.9 percent. Eight of 19 carload commodity groups declined for the week, with nonmetallic minerals down 6.8 percent and waste and scrap materials off 5.4 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first nine weeks of 2005 totaled 3,016,278 carloads, up 2.7 percent from 2004; 1,939,635 trailers or containers, up 10.3 percent; and total volume of an estimated 280.0 billion ton-miles, up 3.6 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended March 5 carload traffic totaled 69,609 cars, up 4.2 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 43,689 trailers or containers, up 14.3 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first nine weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 592,229 carloads, up 3.2 percent from last year, and 369,644 trailers and containers, up 6.0 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first nine weeks of 2005 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 3,608,507 carloads, up 2.7 percent from last year and 2,309,279 trailers and containers, up 9.5 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended March 5 totaled 9,046 cars, up 3.5 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,970 originated trailers or containers, up 7.0 percent from the ninth week of 2004. For the first nine weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 78,005 cars, up 7.8 percent from last year, and 34,892 trailers or containers, up 16.0 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. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 90 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.