US railroads originate 279,128 carloads for week ended Oct. 5, down 1.6% from a year ago, as intermodal volume climbs 6.2% to 266,580 units; Canadian railroads report 87,059 carloads for week, up 8.4% year-over-year, 59,654 intermodal units, up 4.4%: AAR

Sandy Yang

WASHINGTON , October 10, 2013 (press release) – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending October 5, 2013 with total U.S. weekly carloads of 279,128 carloads, down 1.6 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 266,580 units, up 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and up for the 14th straight week in a row. Total U.S. rail traffic for the week was 545,708 combined carloads and intermodal units, up 2.1 percent compared with the same week last year.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, including motor vehicles and parts, with 18,187 carloads or 12.3 percent, and metallic ores and metals, with 26,326 carloads or 10.1 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included coal, with 99,266 carloads or 11.4 percent.

For the first 40 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,219,666 carloads, down 0.9 percent from the same point last year, and 9,814,344 intermodal units, up 3.7 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 40 weeks of 2013 was 21,034,010 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.2 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 87,059 carloads for the week, up 8.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 59,654 intermodal units, up 4.4 percent compared with 2012. For the first 40 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,143,833 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 2,146,543 intermodal units, up 4.1 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 14,686 carloads for the week, down 1.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,795 intermodal units, down 7.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 40 weeks of 2013 was 611,259 carloads, up 7.2 percent from the same point last year, and 401,953 intermodal units, up 1.0 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the 40 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 14,974,758 carloads, down 0.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 12,362,840 trailers and containers, up 3.7 percent compared with last year.

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