The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported weekly rail traffic gains with U.S. railroads originating 293,798 carloads for the week ending April 9, 2011, up 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week was also up 12.4 percent compared with the same week last year, totaling 228,713 trailers and containers.

Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases from the comparable week in 2010. Those groups posting significant increases included: metallic ores, up 59.2 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 28.9 percent, and grain, up 16.5 percent. The commodity groups reporting a notable drop in weekly traffic were primary forest products, down 33.2 percent, coke, down 16.7 percent, and waste and nonferrous scrap, down 12.8 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 0.3 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 3.3 percent compared with the same week in 2010.

For the first 14 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,067,747 carloads, up 4.8 percent from last year, and 3,084,940 trailers and containers, up 9.0 percent from the same point in 2010.

Canadian railroads reported 77,363 carloads for the week, up 3.7 percent from last year, and 49,297 trailers and containers, up 12.4 percent from 2010. For the first 14 weeks of 2011, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,010,164 carloads, up 0.2 percent from the same point last year, and 637,885 trailers and containers, up 4.3 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 14,497 carloads for the week, up 6.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 6,886 trailers and containers, up 4.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 14 weeks of 2011 was 203,900 carloads, up 8.9 percent compared with the same point last year, and 98,748 trailers and containers, up 9.6 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 14 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 5,281,811 carloads, up 4.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 3,821,573 trailers and containers, up 8.2 percent compared with last year.

For more information, visit www.aar.org.