(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on February 17.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. freight railroads registered a strong week in terms of volume during the week ended February 12 in comparison with the corresponding week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume for the week totaled 221,999 trailers and containers, up 11.6 percent from a year ago, with containers up 15.1 percent and trailers gaining 2.4 percent.
Carload freight totaled 341,577 units during the week, up 6.0 percent from a year ago with loadings up 7.7 percent in the West and 4.0 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 31.8 billion ton-miles, up 7.1 percent from 2004.
Fourteen of 19 carload commodities were up from the comparable 2004 week, with farm products other than grain up 22.5 percent; metallic ores up 20.9 percent; crushed stone, sand and gravel up 14.2 percent and coal up 11.2 percent. On the downside, loadings of primary forest products declined 5.0 percent and loadings of motor vehicles and parts were down 4.9 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first six weeks of 2005 totaled 1,971,073 carloads, up 1.9 percent from 2004; 1,280,285 trailers or containers, up 8.5 percent; and total volume of an estimated 182.6 billion ton-miles, up 2.8 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended February 12 carload traffic totaled 67,612 cars, up 2.6 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 43,472 trailers or containers, up 6.5 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first six weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 383,943 carloads, up 2.7 percent from last year, and 242,711 trailers and containers, up 2.6 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first six weeks of 2005 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 2,355,016 carloads, up 2.0 percent from last year and 1,522,996 trailers and containers, up 7.5 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 12 totaled 8,714 cars, up 11.5 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 4,088 originated trailers or containers, up 14.1 percent from the sixth week of 2004. For the first six weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 50,744 cars, up 7.1 percent from last year, and 22,731 trailers or containers, up 22.9 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.