The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported an increase in traffic for the week ending April 6, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 280,748 carloads, up 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 231,648 units, up 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year.  Total U.S. traffic for the week was 512,396 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, including petroleum and petroleum products, up 52.9 percent, and nonmetallic minerals and products up 10.9 percent. Commodities showing a decrease were led by grain, down 14.2 percent. For the first 14 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,851,622 carloads, down 2.5 percent from the same point last year, and 3,316,564 intermodal units, up 5 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 14 weeks of 2013 was 7,168,186 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 81,934 carloads for the week, up 8.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,004 intermodal units, up 3.1 percent compared with 2012. For the first 14 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,089,870 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year, and 712,539 intermodal units, up 4.3 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 14,780 carloads for the week, up 22.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,954 intermodal units, up 25 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 14 weeks of 2013 is 206,884 carloads, up 9.3 percent from the same point last year, and 127,327 intermodal units, up 2.3 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the 14 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 5,148,376 carloads, down 1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 4,156,430 trailers and containers, up 4.8 percent compared with last year.