US rail traffic in week ended March 15 rose 3.1% year-over-year to 289,375 carloads as intermodal volume climbed 11.9% to 255,991 units; Canadian railroads reported 73,218 carloads for week, down 8%, 52,296 intermodal units, up 4.9%: AAR

Cindy Allen

WASHINGTON , March 21, 2014 (press release) – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 15, 2014 with 289,375 total U.S. carloads, up 3.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 255,991 units, up 11.9 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 545,366 carloads and intermodal units, up 7 percent compared with the same week last year.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, led by grain with 21,045 carloads, up 21 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year were led by motor vehicles and parts with 17,936 carloads, down 8 percent.

For the first 11 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,009,897 carloads, even compared with the same point last year, and 2,677,098 intermodal units, up 2.3 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 11 weeks of 2014 was 5,686,995 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 73,218 carloads for the week, down 8 percent, and 52,296 intermodal units, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 11 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 778,514 carloads, down 8.2 percent from the same point last year, and 559,409 intermodal units, down 0.5 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 15,910 carloads for the week, up 1.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,070 intermodal units, down 1.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 11 weeks of 2014 was 163,513 carloads, up 1.2 percent from the same point last year, and 104,675 intermodal units, down 1.3 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 11 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 3,951,924 carloads, down 1.7 percent compared with the same point last year, and 3,341,182 intermodal trailers and containers, up 1.7 percent compared with last year.

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