(The Association of American Railroads issued the following on August 10.)
WASHINGTON — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads rose during the week ended August 5 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Carload freight totaled 334,049 cars, up 1.2 percent from last year, with loadings up 1.9 percent in the West and 0.4 percent in the East.
Intermodal volume of 241,661 trailers or containers was up 5.1 percent from last year, with containers up 7.1 percent but trailers down 0.9 percent.
Among individual carload commodities, coal loadings were up 5.7 percent from last year while metals were up 15.4 percent and chemicals gained 7.0 percent. On the downside, nonmetallic minerals were down 27.1 percent, coke was off 24.8 percent and motor vehicles and equipment declined 18.1 percent. Overall, 10 of 19 commodity groups were up from a year ago.
Cumulative volume for the first 31 weeks of 2006 totaled 10,416,096 carloads, up 1.5 percent from 2005; 7,209,580 trailers or containers, up 6.4 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.03 trillion ton-miles, up 2.8 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended August 5 carload traffic totaled 74,927 cars, up 4.5 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 43,894 trailers or containers was up 10.8 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 31 weeks of 2006 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,301,402 carloads, down 1.4 percent from last year, and 1,386,114 trailers and containers, up 6.2 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 31 weeks of 2006 on 13 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 12,717,498 carloads, up 1.0 percent from last year and 8,595,694 trailers and containers, up 6.4 percent from last year.
The AAR also said that during the week ended August 5 Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) reported total carload volume of 10,870 cars, down 6.6 percent from last year. KCSM reported total intermodal volume of 3,963 trailers or containers, down 2.1 percent from the 31st week of 2005.
For the first 31 weeks of 2006, KCSM reported total cumulative volume of 348,621 cars, down 5.4 percent from last year, and 119,753 trailers or containers, down 6.6 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.