The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending August 10, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 288,803 carloads, down 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 257,969 units, up 6.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. rail traffic for the week was 546,772 combined carloads and intermodal units, up 2.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, led by petroleum and petroleum products with 12,726 carloads, up 16.8 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain with 16,754 carloads, down 11.4 percent. For the first 32 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,890,938 carloads, down 1.3 percent from the same point last year, and 7,747,032 intermodal units, up 3.5 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 32 weeks of 2013 was 16,637,970 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9 percent from last year.
Canadian railroads reported 75,962 carloads for the week, up 7.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 53,490 intermodal units, up 1.1 percent compared with 2012. For the first 32 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,482,612 carloads, up 1.4 percent from the same point last year, and 1,690,604 intermodal units, up 4.0 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,954 carloads for the week, up 12.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,287 intermodal units, down 6.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 32 weeks of 2013 is 494,948 carloads, up 9.1 percent from the same point last year, and 303,999 intermodal units, down 0.9 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the 32 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 11,868,498 carloads, down 0.3 percent compared with the same point last year, and 9,741,635 trailers and containers, up 3.5 percent compared with last year.
