AAR Reports U.S. Freight Railroads Continue to Post Traffic Gains Over 2009 Levels

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports that U.S. freight railroads continue to post weekly rail traffic gains over 2009 levels, originating 297,269 carloads for the week ending Nov. 13, 2010, up 5.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal traffic for the week totaled 232,888 trailers and containers, up 11.9 percent compared with the same week a year ago, with container volume up 12.8 percent and trailer volume up 7.5 percent.

Sixteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009, with significant gains in metallic ores, up 164.7 percent; coke, up 30.1 percent; and metals and products, up 23.9 percent. Commodity groups posting declines included nonmetallic minerals, down 19.2 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, down 14.8 percent; and primary forest products, down 6.2 percent.

Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 2.4 percent compared with last year. In the West, carload volume was up 8 percent from the same week in 2009.

For the first 45 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 12,909,986 carloads, up 7.2 percent from last year, and 9,828,447 trailers or containers, up 14.5 percent from the comparison week in 2009.

Canadian railroads reported volume of 77,578 cars for the week, up 8 percent from last year, and 49,298 trailers or containers, up 19.1 percent from 2009. For the first 45 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,297,448 carloads, up 17.8 percent from last year, and 2,136,778 trailers or containers, up 15.7 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 13,973 cars, up 10.1 percent from the same week last year, and 7,487 trailers or containers, up 10 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 45 weeks of 2010 was reported as 619,011 carloads, up 19.4 percent from last year; and 306,387 trailers or containers, up 24.8 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 45 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 16,826,445 carloads, up 9.6 percent from last year, and 12,271,612 trailers and containers, up 14.9 percent from last year.

For more information, visit www.aar.org.