The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported an increase in traffic for the week ending May 18, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 285,679 carloads, up 1.9 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 250,156 units, up 3.5 percent compared with the same week last year.  Total U.S. traffic for the week was 535,835 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.6 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 38 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain, down 28.3 percent, and metallic ores and metals, down 7.1 percent. For the first 20 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,530,177 carloads, down 1.7 percent from the same point last year, and 4,791,035 intermodal units, up 4.3 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 20 weeks of 2013 was 10,321,212 carloads and intermodal units, up 1 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 79,397 carloads for the week, down 1.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 55,454 intermodal units, up 4.6 percent compared with 2012. For the first 20 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,574,792 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 1,040,089 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 16,087 carloads for the week, up 14.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,789 intermodal units, down 6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 20 weeks of 2013 is 298,600 carloads, up 8.7 percent from the same point last year, and 182,213 intermodal units, down 0.1 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the 20 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 7,403,569 carloads, down 0.6 percent compared with the same point last year, and 6,013,337 trailers and containers, up 4 percent compared with last year.