AAR reports mixed weekly rail traffic

For the first 32 weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,005,952 carloads, down 2.4 percent from the same point last year.

The Trucker News Services

8/21/2012

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ended Aug. 11, with U.S. railroads originating 289,172 carloads.

That was down 1.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 243,030 trailers and containers, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Ten of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with petroleum products, up 44.4 percent; lumber and wood products, up 19.8 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment, up 19.2 percent. The groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included metallic ores, down 22 percent, and iron and steel scrap, down 11.1 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 7.6 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 3 percent compared with the same week in 2011.

For the first 32 weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,005,952 carloads, down 2.4 percent from the same point last year, and 7,482,092 trailers and containers, up 3.6 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 70,842 carloads for the week, down 5.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,952 trailers and containers, up 4.5 percent compared with 2011. For the first 32 weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,447,347 carloads, up 3 percent from the same point last year, and 1,626,832 trailers and containers, up 7.3 percent from last year.

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Mexican railroads reported 14,318 carloads for the week, down 0.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,966 trailers and containers, up 10.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 32 weeks of 2012 is 454,634 carloads, down 0.9 percent compared with the same point last year, and 303,617 trailers and containers, up 17.7 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 32 weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 11,907,933 carloads, down 1.3 percent compared with the same point last year, and 9,412,541 trailers and containers, up 4.6 percent compared with last year.

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at editor@thetrucker.com.

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