(The AAR issued the following news release on February 10.)
WASHINGTON — Rail freight traffic on U.S. railroads was up sharply during the week ended February 5 in comparison with the corresponding week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today. The AAR noted that traffic in the year-ago week was adversely affected by severe winter storms.
Intermodal volume for the week totaled 218,755 trailers and containers, up 9.9 percent from a year ago, with containers up 12.5 percent and trailers gaining 3.0 percent.
Carload freight totaled 335,416 units during the week, up 9.0 percent from a year ago with loadings up 12.1 percent in the West and 5.2 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 31.2 billion ton-miles, up 10.2 percent from 2004.
Fourteen of 19 carload commodities were up from the comparable 2004 week, with coke up 22.5 percent; metallic ores up 20.3 percent; metals up 14.7 percent; coal up 14.0 percent; and grain up 13.4 percent. Loadings of primary forest products declined 12.7 percent while nonmetallic minerals were off 8.9 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first five weeks of 2005 totaled 1,629,496 carloads, up 1.1 percent from 2004; 1,058,286 trailers or containers, up 7.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 150.8 billion ton-miles, up 1.9 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended February 5 carload traffic totaled 66,882 cars, up 13.7 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 42,397 trailers or containers, up 4.4 percent from last year. In Canada, as in the U.S., traffic in the comparison week from last year was affected by severe winter weather.
Cumulative originations for the first five weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 316,331 carloads, up 2.7 percent from last year, and 199,239 trailers and containers, up 1.8 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first five weeks of 2005 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 1,945,827 carloads, up 1.4 percent from last year and 1,257,525 trailers and containers, up 6.9 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended February 5 totaled 8,852 cars, up 16.6 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 4,103 originated trailers or containers, up 27.9 percent from the fifth week of 2004. For the first five weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 42,030 cars, up 6.2 percent from last year, and 18,643 trailers or containers, up 25.0 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.