(The Associated Press circulated the following on July 31.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Shipments carried by U.S. railroads fell 0.9 percent last week compared with a year earlier, a major industry trade group reported Thursday.
The Association of American Railroads said freight carried on the tracks for the week ended July 26 totaled 333,187 carloads.
Volume rose 1.7 percent in the West, where cargo is primarily carried by Union Pacific Corp. and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. Volume fell 4.3 percent in the East, where freight is mostly hauled by CSX Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp.
Intermodal volume, or freight transferred from trucks, fell 3.2 percent from a year ago.
By commodity, thirteen of nineteen segments fell from a year earlier. Leading declines were shipments of vehicles and equipment, which dropped by 33.6 percent. Carloads of lumber and wood products slipped 19.6 percent and primary forest products fell 14.1 percent.
The highest commodity gains were in metallic ores, which rose 23.8 percent; grain, which climbed 5 percent; and coal, which rose 3.3 percent.
So far this year, shipments on U.S. rails are 0.4 percent higher compared with the same period in 2007.
In midday trading CSX rose 12 cents to $68.78. Norfolk Southern lost 84 cents at $72.80. Union Pacific gained 6 cents at $83.31. Burlington Northern Santa Fe fell 12 cents to $105.38. Kansas City Southern rose $2.05, or 3.9 percent, to $54.89. Canadian Pacific rose 5 cents to $63.64. Canadian National added 19 cents at $53.38.