AAR reports mixed weekly rail traffic
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending June 29, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 281,367 carloads, up 1 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 249,673 units, down 1.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. traffic for the week was 531,040 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, led by petroleum and petroleum products, up 26.6 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain, down 13.8 percent. For the first 26 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,217,899 carloads, down 1.5 percent from the same point last year, and 6,270,438 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 26 weeks of 2013 was 13,488,337 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 75,038 carloads for the week, down 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 53,920 intermodal units, down 1.2 percent compared with 2012. For the first 26 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,034,514 carloads, up 1.9 percent from the same point last year, and 1,365,539 intermodal units, up 4.4 percent from last year. Mexican railroads reported 17,077 carloads for the week, up 13.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,384 intermodal units, down 0.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 26 weeks of 2013 is 398,428 carloads, up 9.4 percent from the same point last year, and 242,831 intermodal units, down 0.2 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the 26 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 9,650,841 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 7,878,808 trailers and containers, up 3.7 percent compared with last year.
