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(The Association of American Railroads posted the following news release on its website on July 8.)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. rail carload traffic rose 4.9 percent (79,192 carloads) while U.S. intermodal traffic soared 12.3 percent (116,884 trailers and containers) in June 2004 compared to June 2003, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.

In June 2004, U.S. freight railroads reporting to the AAR originated 1,686,307 carloads (up from 1,607,115 in June 2003) and 1,064,000 intermodal units (up from 947,116 in June 2003). For the second quarter of 2004, U.S. rail carloadings of 4,423,298 were 4.8 percent higher (203,803 carloads) than the second quarter of 2003, while intermodal traffic of 2,750,034 units was 11.9 percent higher (292,873 units) than the same period in 2003. For the first six months of 2004, U.S. railroads originated 8,720,960 carloads (up 4.0 percent, or 334,709 carloads) from 2003, and 5,335,079 intermodal units (up 9.6 percent, or 469,015 units) from 2003. Total volume for the six months was estimated at 787.5 billion ton-miles, up 5.3 percent from 2003.

In June 2004, 15 of the 19 major commodity categories tracked by the AAR saw carload increases on U.S. railroads, including coal (up 3.7 percent, or 23,696 carloads), primary metal products (up 18.5 percent, or 10,939 carloads), grain (up 10.1 percent, or 9,477 carloads), and chemicals (up 6.3 percent, or 8,915 carloads). Excluding coal, U.S. rail carloads in June were up 5.7 percent (55,496 carloads) in 2004 over 2003.

In the second quarter of 2004, 13 of the 19 major commodity categories saw U.S. carload increases, including coal (up 3.9 percent, or 65,018 carloads), grain (up 14.8 percent, or 35,544 carloads), chemicals (up 8.2 percent, or 30,211 carloads), and primary metal products (up 14.2 percent, or 22,276 carloads). Excluding coal, U.S. rail carloads in the second quarter were up 5.4 percent (138,785 carloads) in 2004 over 2003.

For the year to date, 12 of the 19 major commodity categories saw carload increases on U.S. railroads, including coal (up 3.1 percent, or 103,850 carloads), grain (up 12.1 percent, or 62,407 carloads), chemicals (up 5.5 percent, or 41,241 carloads), and crushed stone and gravel (up 6.9 percent, or 34,092 carloads). Excluding coal, U.S. rail carloads in the first six months of 2004 were up 4.5 percent (230,859 carloads) over 2003.

“The trend in U.S. freight rail traffic is extremely favorable. The 4.8 percent increase in U.S. rail carloads in the second quarter of 2004 is the highest quarterly increase since 1995, and the 2.75 million intermodal units originated in the second quarter of 2004 is by far the highest quarterly total ever,” noted AAR Vice President Craig F. Rockey. “This exceptional growth is the result of extraordinary efforts by rail management and rank and file employees to safely and efficiently meet the transportation needs of our country’s farmers, manufacturers, miners, and retailers,” Rockey added.

Canadian railroads originated 330,461 carloads in June 2004, up 11.3 percent (33,652 carloads) over June 2003. Canadian carload gains in June were paced by grain (up 29.6 percent, or 10,078 carloads) and chemicals (up 15.4 percent, or 9,414 carloads). In the second quarter of 2004, Canadian railroads originated 893,059 carloads (up 10.9 percent, or 87,577 carloads), paced again by significant increases in grain (up 32.6 percent, or 28,159 carloads) and chemicals (up 14.3 percent, or 24,451 carloads). For the first six months of 2004, Canadian carload traffic of 1,752,196 carloads was up 8.8 percent (142,248 carloads) over the same period in 2003.

Canadian intermodal traffic of 209,801 units in June 2004 was down fractionally (431 units, or 0.2 percent) from June 2003, while second quarter intermodal traffic of 559,197 units was 1.5 percent (8,206 units) higher than last year. For 2004 to date, Canadian intermodal traffic was up 0.2 percent (1,956 units) to 1,074,583 trailers and containers.

Carloads originated on Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM), a major Mexican railroad, were up 31.2 percent (13,403 carloads) in June, up 15.3 percent (16,798 carloads) in the second quarter, and up 3.3 percent (7,523 carloads) for the year to date. Intermodal originations on TFM were down 35.4 percent (6,360 units) in June, down 31.3 percent (14,417 units) in the second quarter, and down 18.7 percent (17,684 units) for the year to date.

For just the week ended July 3, the AAR reported the following totals for U.S. railroads: 338,898 carloads, up 20.7 percent from the corresponding week in 2003 (which included the July 4th holiday), with loadings up 35.3 percent in the East and up 11.4 percent in the West; intermodal volume of 218,281 trailers and containers, up 33.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 30.8 billion ton-miles, up 22.2 percent from the equivalent week last year.

For Canadian railroads during the week ended July 3, the AAR reported volume of 63,327 carloads, up 20.6 percent from last year; and 40,091 trailers and containers, up 5.6 percent from the corresponding week in 2003.

Combined cumulative volume for the first 26 weeks of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 10,473,156 carloads, up 4.8 percent (476,957 carloads) from last year; and 6,409,662 trailers and containers, up 7.9 percent (470,971 trailers and containers) from 2003’s first 26 weeks.