The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported an increase in weekly rail traffic for the week ending June 15, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 288,879 carloads, up 0.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 254,266 units, up 1.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. traffic for the week was 543,145 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, led by petroleum and petroleum products, up 35.6 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain, down 12.1 percent. For the first 24 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,648,308 carloads, down 1.6 percent from the same point last year, and 5,767,958 intermodal units, up 3.9 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 24 weeks of 2013 was 12,416,266 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 78,724 carloads for the week, up 2.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 54,738 intermodal units, up 0.8 percent compared with 2012. For the first 24 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,882,851 carloads, up 2.2 percent from the same point last year, and 1,256,336 intermodal units, up 4.8 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 16,429 carloads for the week, up 8.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,793 intermodal units, down 1.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 24 weeks of 2013 is 364,982 carloads, up 9.3 percent from the same point last year, and 221,981 intermodal units, down less than 0.1 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the 24 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 8,896,141 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 7,246,275 trailers and containers, up 3.9 percent compared with last year.
