(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on November 17.)
WASHINGTON — Traffic on U.S. freight railroads was off slightly during the week ended November 11 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Intermodal volume of 246,033 trailers or containers was down 1.1 percent from the comparable week last year. Container volume rose 3.3 percent for the week while trailer volume declined by 13.3 percent.
Carload freight totaled 325,592 cars, down 2.1 percent from last year, with loadings down 0.6 percent in the West and 4.0 percent in the East.
Total volume was estimated at 33.5 billion ton-miles, down 0.6 percent from last year.
Leading the gainers among individual carload commodities were loadings of grain, up 11.1 percent from last year; coke, up 8.7 percent; and farm products other than grain, up 5.8 percent. On the downside, loadings of lumber and wood products were down 25.8 percent; primary forest products were off 19.5 percent; and motor vehicles and equipment declined 17.4 percent. Overall, 13 of 19 carload commodity groups were down from last year.
Cumulative volume for the first 45 weeks of 2006 totaled 15,153,757 carloads, up 1.3 percent from 2005; 10,706,410 trailers or containers, up 5.6 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.51 trillion ton-miles, up 2.5 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended November 11 carload traffic totaled 73,326 cars, down 2.3 percent from last year while intermodal volume of 49,327 trailers or containers was up 8.3 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 45 weeks of 2006 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,361,663 carloads, down 1.4 percent from last year, and 2,054,483 trailers and containers, up 5.5 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 45 weeks of 2006 on 13 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 18,515,420 carloads, up 0.8 percent from last year and 12,760,893 trailers and containers, up 5.6 percent from last year.
The AAR also said that during the week ended November 11 Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) reported total carload volume of 11,847 cars, down 0.9 percent from last year. KCSM reported total intermodal volume of 5,042 trailers or containers, up 15.3 percent from the 45th week of 2005.
For the first 45 weeks of 2006, KCSM reported total cumulative volume of 513,526 cars, down 3.1 percent from last year, and 183,449 trailers or containers, down 1.5 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.