WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. freight railroads moved more intermodal freight during the week ended September 21 than in any other week on record, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on its website on September 26.
Intermodal volume totaled 206,454 trailers and containers, up 9.6 percent from the comparable week last year, and 1.9 percent more than in the week ended August 31 when the previous weekly record of 202,551 trailers and containers was set.
Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, was off slightly from last year, totaling 343,146 cars, down just 0.1. Carload volume was up 2.7 percent in the East, but down 2.3 percent in the West. Total volume was estimated at 29.6 billion ton-miles, up 0.7 percent from the 38th week of 2001.
Loadings in twelve out of 19 commodity groups registered gains from last year, with nonmetallic minerals up 13.9 percent, metallic ores increasing by 10.4 percent and motor vehicles and equipment gaining 10.1 percent. Off sharply were loadings of primary forest products, down 15.6 percent; grain, off 15.0 percent; and petroleum products, decreasing 10.8 percent.
The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 38 weeks of 2002: 12,483,556 carloads, down 1.0 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 6,831,864 trailers and containers, up 5.5 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.08 trillion ton?miles, up 1.0 percent from last year’s first 38 weeks.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 90 percent of U.S. carload freight and 97 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 99 percent. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of the nation’s intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.
Canadian railroads reported a similar pattern to that in the U.S., with intermodal up sharply and carload freight down slightly during the week ended September 21. Intermodal traffic totaled 42,231 trailers and containers, up 11.0 percent from last year. Carload volume of 62,472 cars was down 0.2 percent from the comparable week last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 38 weeks of 2002 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,258,137 carloads, down 2.9 percent from last year, and 1,445,044 trailers and containers, up 9.7 percent from last year
Combined cumulative volume for the first 38 weeks of 2002 on 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 14,741,693 carloads, down 1.3 percent from last year and 8,276,908 trailers and containers, up 6.2 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended September 21 totaled 10,522 cars originated or received from connecting lines, down 14.4 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,433 trailers or containers, up 31.6 percent from the 38th week of 2001. For the first 38 weeks of 2002, TFM reported cumulative volume of 397,378 cars, up 1.2 percent from last year, and 138,728 trailers or containers, up 6.8 percent.
AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.