(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on December 29.)
WASHINGTON — Rail freight traffic on U.S. railroads was up sharply during the week ended December 24 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
The AAR noted, however, that the 2004 week included the Christmas holiday, which was not included in the 2005 week. Intermodal volume of 221,800 trailers or containers, was up 32.1 percent from last year, with container volume rising 31.4 percent and trailer volume up 34.1 percent. Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, totaled 317,770 cars for the week, up 17.1 percent from the comparable week last year.
Loadings were up 20.5 percent in the East and 14.5 percent in the West. Total volume was estimated at 32.5 billion ton-miles, up 17.8 percent from last year. Cumulative volume for the first 51 weeks of 2005 totaled 16,930,793 carloads, up 0.9 percent from 2004; 11,514,878 trailers or containers, up 6.3 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.66 trillion ton-miles, up 2.4 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended December 24 carload traffic totaled 73,762 cars, up 13.5 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 42,630 trailers or containers, up 34.0 percent from last year. Cumulative originations for the first 51 weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,872,286 carloads, down 1.1 percent from last year, and 2,215,951 trailers and containers, up 3.9 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 51 weeks of 2005 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 20,803,079 carloads, up 0.5 percent from last year and 13,730,829 trailers and containers, up 5.9 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) during the week ended December 24 totaled 7,200 cars, down 14.2 percent from last year. KCSM reported intermodal volume of 3,056 originated trailers or containers, up 3.1 percent from the 51st week of 2004. For the first 51 weeks of 2005, KCSM reported cumulative originated volume of 419,917 cars, down 5.9 percent from last year, and 195,755 trailers or containers, up 0.9 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.