AAR reports mixed weekly rail traffic

Posted on Apr 29, 2013 in Nuts & Bolts

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed traffic for the week ending April 20, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 276,662 carloads, down 2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 240,698 units, up 0.6 percent compared with the same week last year.  Total U.S. traffic for the week was 517,360 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, led by petroleum and petroleum products, up 40.1 percent. Commodities showing a decrease included grain, down 21.8 percent. For the first 16 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,403,958 carloads, down 2.3 percent from the same point last year, and 3,799,366 intermodal units, up 4.6 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 16 weeks of 2013 was 8,203,324 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 83,540 carloads for the week, up 1.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 55,564 intermodal units, up 2 percent compared with 2012. For the first 16 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,255,487 carloads, up 2.5 percent from the same point last year, and 821,921 intermodal units, up 4 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 15,107 carloads for the week, up 2.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,018 intermodal units, down 5.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 16 weeks of 2013 is 237,446 carloads, up 9.2 percent from the same point last year, and 146,159 intermodal units, up 1.8 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the 16 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 5,896,891 carloads, down 0.9 percent compared with the same point last year, and 4,767,446 trailers and containers, up 4.4 percent compared with last year.