(The Association of American Railroads posted the following release on its website on October 21.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. railroads moved more freight during the week ended October 16 than during any previous week on record, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Total volume of 33.1 billion ton-miles broke the previous record of 32.7 billion ton-miles set just one week earlier. It also represented a 2.2 percent increase over total volume during the comparable week last year.
Intermodal volume of 231,255 trailers or containers also set a weekly record, besting the old mark of 231,025 trailers or containers set during the week ended September 25. This week’s volume was up 9.5 percent from the comparable week a year ago, with container volume was up 10.1 percent from last year and trailer volume gaining 7.7 percent.
Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, totaled 354,224 units, up 2.0 percent from last year and was the highest weekly total in more than three years. Carload volume was up 2.2 percent in the East and 1.8 percent in the West.
Thirteen of 19 carload commodities registered gains from last year, with metallic ores up 17.4 percent; crushed stone, sand and gravel up 8.2 percent; and grain mill products up 8.0 percent. Among commodities showing declines were motor vehicles and equipment, off 5.7 percent and grain, off 4.2 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 41 weeks of 2004: 13,787,884 carloads, up 3.0 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 8,606,432 trailers or containers, up 9.5 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.248 trillion ton-miles, up 4.0 percent from last year’s first 41 weeks.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended October 16 carload traffic totaled 67,268 cars, up 2.9 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 42,475 trailers or containers, up 5.1 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 41 weeks of 2004 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,745,241 carloads, up 7.9 percent from last year, and 1,714,170 trailers and containers, up 0.2 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 41 weeks of 2004 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 16,533,125 carloads, up 3.8 percent from last year and 10,320,602 trailers and containers, up 7.9 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended October 16 totaled 9,447 cars, up 14.1 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 4,274 originated trailers or containers, up 23.2 percent from the 41st week of 2003. For the first 41 weeks of 2004, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 355,920 cars, up 2.8 percent from last year, and 152,185 trailers or containers, up 5.7 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.