(The Association of American Railroads posted the following news release on its website on January 19.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wintry weather and mudslides in the western United States helped turn the second week of 2005 into a down week in terms of rail freight traffic, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
The AAR reported that railroads moved 30.5 billion ton-miles of freight during the week ended January 15, 1.3 percent less than in the comparable week a year ago. Carload freight totaled 329.982 cars, down 2.2 percent from 2004, with loadings up 3.5 percent in the East, but down 6.5 percent in the West. In spite of the impact of weather on rail traffic out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, rose 7.0 percent from 2004, totaling 213,383 trailers or containers.
Twelve of 19 carload commodities were down from the comparable 2004 week, with primary forest products down 9.2 percent; nonmetallic minerals off 8.8 percent; and grain down 6.6 percent. Among the seven commodities reporting increases were crushed stone, sand and gravel, up 16.0 percent; coke, up 11.4 percent; and farm products other than grain, up 10.0 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first two weeks of 2005 totaled 650,523 carloads, down 0.5 percent from 2004; 419,927 trailers or containers, up 8.2 percent; and total volume of an estimated 60.0 billion ton-miles, up 0.3 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended January 15 carload traffic totaled 62,759 cars, down 1.3 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 41,534 trailers or containers, up 6.2 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first two weeks of 2005 on the Canadian railroads totaled 124,213 carloads, down 1.6 percent from last year, and 78,301 trailers and containers, down 0.8 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first two weeks of 2005 on 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 774,736 carloads, down 0.7 percent from last year and 498,228 trailers and containers, up 6.7 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that originated carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended January 15 totaled 7,837 cars, down 6.3 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 3,491 originated trailers or containers, up 8.0 percent from the second week of 2004. For the first two weeks of 2005, TFM reported cumulative originated volume of 15,989 cars, up down 1.2 percent from last year, and 5,991 trailers or containers, up 8.7 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.