The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported an increase in traffic for the week ending May 11, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 280,986 carloads, up 0.6 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 248,266 units, up 3.9 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. traffic for the week was 529,252 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.1 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 50.8 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain, down 21.3 percent, and farm and food products, excluding grain, down 10 percent. For the first 19 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,244,498 carloads, down 1.9 percent from the same point last year, and 4,540,879 intermodal units, up 4.3 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 19 weeks of 2013 was 9,785,377 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 78,348 carloads for the week, down 1.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 53,393 intermodal units, up 1.8 percent compared with 2012. For the first 19 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,495,395 carloads, up 2 percent from the same point last year, and 984,635 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,251 carloads for the week, up 5.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,490 intermodal units, down 1.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 19 weeks of 2013 is 282,513 carloads, up 8.4 percent from the same point last year, and 172,424 intermodal units, up 0.2 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the 19 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 7,022,406 carloads, down 0.7 percent compared with the same point last year, and 5,697,938 trailers and containers, up 4 percent compared with last year.
