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June 2013

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September 17: AAR reports mixed results in weekly rail traffic
Weekly intermodal volume highest since 2008

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported a mixed results in weekly rail traffic, with U.S. railroads originating 299,914 carloads for the week ending September 17, 2011, down 1.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 242,250 trailers and containers, up 0.9 percent compared with the same week last year. This weekly volume is the highest since Week 40 of 2008.

Eleven of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, including: petroleum products, up 19.2 percent; lumber and wood products, up 14.8 percent, and metals and products, up 12.8 percent. Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included: grain, down 17.6 percent; primary forest products, down 12.5 percent, and nonmetallic minerals, down 10.1 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was down 5.6 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 1.5 percent compared with the same week in 2010.

For the first 37 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,711,775 carloads, up 1.7 percent from the same point last year, and 8,381,960 trailers and containers, up 5.5 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 78,315 carloads for the week, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,063 trailers and containers, down 1 percent compared with 2010. For the first 37 weeks of 2011, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,759,406 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year, and 1,767,485 trailers and containers, up 1.7 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 12,193 carloads for the week, up 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,271 trailers and containers, up 18.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 37 weeks of 2011 was 528,532 carloads, up 4.6 percent compared with the same point last year, and 303,830 trailers and containers, up 24.7 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 37 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 13,999,713 carloads, up 2 percent compared with the same point last year, and 10,453,275 trailers and containers, up 5.3 percent compared with last year.
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