U.S. railroads originate 284,546 carloads in week ended Feb. 4, up 6.2% year-over-year as intermodal volume totaled 232,590 trailers, containers, up 16.8%: AAR

Alison Gallant

WASHINGTON , February 9, 2012 (press release) – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported an increase in weekly rail traffic for the week ending February 4, 2012, with U.S. railroads originating 284,546 carloads, up 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 232,590 trailers and containers, up 16.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Note that the comparison week five in 2011 was affected by significant winter weather events.

Sixteen of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2011, with metallic ores, up 63.2 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, up 42 percent, and petroleum products, up 40.5. The group showing a significant decrease in weekly traffic included grain, down 9.7 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 3.1 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 8.3 percent compared with the same week in 2011.

For the first five weeks of 2012, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,429,346 carloads, up 1.3 percent from last year, and 1,110,227 trailers and containers, up 4.5 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 77,225 carloads for the week, up 13.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 51,262 trailers and containers, up 15.4 percent compared with 2011. For the first five weeks of 2012, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 366,518 carloads, up 5.7 percent from the same point last year, and 236,555 trailers and containers, up 5.6 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 13,152 carloads for the week, down 0.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,299 trailers and containers, up 19.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first five weeks of 2012 is 63,625 carloads, down 11 percent compared to last year, and 43,729 trailers and containers, up 23.5 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first three weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 1,859,489 carloads, up 1.6 percent compared to last year, and 1,390,511 trailers and containers, up 5.2 percent compared with last year.

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