The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed traffic for the week ending June 8, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 278,249 carloads, down 2.8 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 252,641 units, up 2.5 percent compared with the same week last year.  Total U.S. traffic for the week was 530,890 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.3 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 27.8 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included grain, down 22.5 percent. For the first 23 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,359,429 carloads, down 1.7 percent from the same point last year, and 5,513,692 intermodal units, up 4 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 23 weeks of 2013 was 11,873,121 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 77,667 carloads for the week, down 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 53,745 intermodal units, down 3.3 percent compared with 2012. For the first 23 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,804,127 carloads, up 2.2 percent from the same point last year, and 1,201,598 intermodal units, up 5 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 16,783 carloads for the week, up 12.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,068 intermodal units, up 1.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 23 weeks of 2013 is 348,553 carloads, up 9.3 percent from the same point last year, and 212,188 intermodal units, up 0.1 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the 23 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 8,512,109 carloads, down 0.5 percent compared with the same point last year, and 6,927,478 trailers and containers, up 4.1 percent compared with last year.