The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that weekly rail traffic continues to gain over 2009 levels with U.S. railroads originating 292,884 carloads for the week ending Oct. 30, 2010, up 6.3 percent compared with the same week last year.

Intermodal traffic for the week totaled 232,717 trailers and containers, up 14.2 percent compared with the same week a year ago, with container volume up 15.7 percent and trailer volume up 6.5 percent.

Thirteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009, with significant gains in metallic ores, up 128.2 percent, and crushed stone, sand, and gravel, up 27.5 percent. Commodity groups posting declines included primary forest products, down 13.4 percent, non-metallic minerals, down 9.3 percent, and grain mill products, down 7 percent.

Carload volume on Eastern railroads was down .3 percent compared with last year. In the West, carload volume was up 11.1 percent from the same week in 2009.
For the first 43 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 12,324,661 carloads, up 7.3 percent from last year, and 9,364,481 trailers or containers, up 14.6 percent from the comparison week in 2009.

Canadian railroads reported volume of 76,341 cars for the week, up 7.5 percent from last year, and 49,691 trailers or containers, up 16.3 percent from 2009. For the first 43 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,141,377 carloads, up 18.3 percent from last year, and 2,039,238 trailers or containers, up 15.7 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 14,570 cars, up 14.4 percent from the same week last year, and 7,779 trailers or containers, up 9.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 43 weeks of 2010 was reported as 592,229 carloads, up 19.8 percent from last year; and 292,227 trailers or containers, up 25.9 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 43 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 16,058,267 carloads, up 9.7 percent from last year, and 11,695,946 trailers and containers, up 15.1 percent from last year.

For more information, visit www.aar.org.