(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on October 20.)
WASHINGTON — Intermodal traffic on U.S. railroads set a weekly record during the week ended October 15, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume of 249,664 trailers or containers, was up 8.0 percent from last year with container volume increasing by 9.4 percent and trailer volume gaining by 3.9 percent. The total broke the record of 246,530 trailers or containers that was set just two weeks earlier.
However, carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, was down for the week. Carload volume of 325,549 units was off 5.5 percent from the corresponding week last year. Loadings were down 8.2 percent in the West and 2.2 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 33.4 billion ton-miles, down 4.0 percent from last year. Both the current week and the comparison week from last year included the Columbus Day holiday.
Fifteen of 19 commodity groups were down from last year, with farm products other than grain down 27.8 percent; metallic ores off 22.6 percent; and coal down 7.5 percent. Commodities showing increases included grain mill products, up 2.1 percent; food products, up 1.4 percent; and crushed stone, sand and gravel, up 1.1 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 41 weeks of 2005 totaled 13,647,176 carloads, up 1.1 percent from 2004; 9,152,035 trailers or containers, up 6.3 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.33 trillion ton-miles, up 2.6 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended October 15 carload traffic totaled 76,019 cars, down 2.6 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 44,239 trailers or containers, up 4.6 percent from last year. Both the current week and the comparison week from last year included Canada’s Thanksgiving Day.
Cumulative originations for the first 41 weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,108,936 carloads, down 0.7 percent from last year, and 1,759,021 trailers and containers, up 3.0 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 41 weeks of 2005 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 16,756,114 carloads, up 0.8 percent from last year and 10,911,056 trailers and containers, up 5.8 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended October 15 totaled 8,389 cars, down 11.2 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 4,032 originated trailers or containers, down 5.7 percent from the 41st week of 2004. Both the current week and the comparison week from last year included the Día de la Raza national holiday.
For the first 41 weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 344,332 cars, down 3.3 percent from last year, and 157,150 trailers or containers, up 3.3 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.