(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on November 29)
WASHINGTON, DC— Even though both carload and intermodal volumes were off slightly, total rail freight volume as measured in ton-miles was up from a year ago during the Thanksgiving holiday week ended November 24, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Total volume was estimated at 30.7 billion ton-miles, up 1.3 percent from the corresponding week last year, which also included the Thanksgiving holiday.
Carload freight totaled 290,424 cars, a decline of 0.1 percent from last year, with loadings up 1.2 percent in the West but down 2.1 percent in the East.
A total of 191,459 trailers and containers were loaded during the week, down 2.1 percent from the comparable week last year. Container volume was off 1.4 percent while trailer loadings slipped 4.4 percent from last year.
Seven of 19 individual carload commodities were up from last year, with grain up 20.2 percent, petroleum products up 12.0 percent and grain mill products gaining 8.0 percent. On the downside, coke was off 27.4 percent, metallic ores fell 18.4 percent and farm products (excluding grain) declined by 16.3 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 47 weeks of 2007 totaled 15,368,236 carloads, off 2.6 percent from 2006; 10,915,108 trailers or containers, down 2.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.59 trillion ton-miles, a 1.1 percent decline from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended November 24 carload traffic totaled 78,697 cars, up 7.8 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 49,437 trailers or containers, a gain of 9.6 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 47 weeks of 2007 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,683,917 carloads, up 0.1 percent from last year, and 2,214,948 trailers and containers, an increase of 3.4 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 47 weeks of 2007 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 19,052,153 carloads, down 2.1 percent from last year, and 13,130,056 trailers and containers, a 1.2 percent decrease from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) during the week ended November 24 totaled 10,986 cars, off 2.3 percent from last year. KCSM reported intermodal volume of 5,289 trailers or containers, up 13.0 percent from the 47th week of 2006.
For the first 47 weeks of 2007, KCSM reported cumulative volume of 513,378 cars, down 4.2 percent from last year, and 220,340 trailers or containers, up 14.4 percent.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 89 percent of U.S. carload freight and 98 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.