The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported gains in weekly rail traffic, with U.S. railroads originating 294,310 carloads for the week ending June 18, 2011, up 3.3 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 237,682 trailers and containers, up 4.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and setting a new weekly high for U.S. intermodal volume in 2011.

Sixteen of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases from the comparable week in 2010. Commodity groups posting solid increases included: metallic ores, up 32.2 percent; lumber and wood products, up 17.2 percent, and grain, up 14.4 percent. Groups posting a notable decrease included: waste and nonferrous scrap, down 19.5 percent, and coke, down 11.9 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 1.5 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 4.5 percent compared with the same week in 2010.

For the first 24 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,968,722 carloads, up 3 percent from last year, and 5,384,370 trailers and containers, up 8.2 percent from the same point in 2010.

Canadian railroads reported 79,077 carloads for the week, up 7.2 percent from last year, and 47,925 trailers and containers, down 4 percent from 2010. For the first 24 weeks of 2011, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,777,851 carloads, up 2.1 percent from the same point last year, and 1,118,941 trailers and containers, up 2.3 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 16,307 carloads for the week, up 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,065 trailers and containers, up 25.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 24 weeks of 2011 was 346,103 carloads, up 4.6 percent compared with the same point last year, and 179,881 trailers and containers, up 14.7 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 24 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 9,092,676 carloads, up 2.8 percent compared with the same point last year, and 6,683,192 trailers and containers, up 7.3 percent compared with last year.

For more information, visit www.aar.org.