U.S. railroads originated 302,500 carloads for week ending Oct. 8, up 2.1% year-over-year; intermodal volume totaled 241,999 trailers, containers, up 2.4%

Alison Gallant

WASHINGTON , October 13, 2011 (press release) – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported a gain in weekly rail traffic, with U.S. railroads originating 302,500 carloads for the week ending October 8, 2011, up 2.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 241,999 trailers and containers, up 2.4 percent compared with the same week last year.

Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, including: petroleum products, up 28.3 percent; non-metallic minerals, up 19.6 percent; and motor vehicles and equipment, up 11.1 percent. Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included: farm products excluding grain, down 14.6 percent; and waste and nonferrous scrap, down 11.5 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 2.1 percent compared with the same week in 2010.

For the first 40 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,631,650 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 9,123,225 trailers and containers, up 5.4 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 80,308 carloads for the week, up 6.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 51,436 trailers and containers, down 2 percent compared with 2010. For the first 40 weeks of 2011, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,001,069 carloads, up 2.9 percent from the same point last year, and 1,923,357 trailers and containers, up 1.6 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 14,934 carloads for the week, up 8.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,853 trailers and containers, up 19.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 40 weeks of 2011 was 572,770 carloads, up 4.6 percent compared with the same point last year, and 334,132 trailers and containers, up 24.4 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 40 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 15,205,489 carloads, up 2.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 11,380,714 trailers and containers, up 5.2 percent compared with last year.

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