AAR reports slight gains in weekly rail traffic

The Trucker News Services

9/20/2011

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported a slight increase in weekly rail traffic, with U.S. railroads originating 278,382 carloads for the week ending September 10, 2011, up 0.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 208,090 trailers and containers, up 0.6 percent compared with the same week last year.

Thirteen of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, including: stone, clay and glass products, up 20.3 percent; lumber and wood products, up 15.8 percent, and petroleum products, up 14 percent. Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included: farm products excluding grain, down 36.9 percent; grain, down 16.7 percent, and grain mill products, down 13 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 2.7 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 1.8 percent compared with the same week in 2010.

For the first 36 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,411,861 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 8,139,710 trailers and containers, up 5.7 percent from last year.

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Canadian railroads reported 74,969 carloads for the week, up 5.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 46,408 trailers and containers, down 1.8 percent compared with 2010. For the first 36 weeks of 2011, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,681,091 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year, and 1,715,422 trailers and containers, up 1.8 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 13,763 carloads for the week, down 3.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,977 trailers and containers, up 26.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 36 weeks of 2011 was 516,339 carloads, up 4.7 percent compared with the same point last year, and 295,559 trailers and containers, up 24.8 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 36 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 13,609,291 carloads, up 2.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 10,150,691 trailers and containers, up 5.5 percent compared with last year.

Dorothy Cox of The Trucker staff may be contacted to comment at dlcox@thetrucker.com.

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