The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed weekly rail traffic for the week ending July 13, 2013, with total U.S. weekly carloads of 277,132 carloads, down 3.1 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 248,201 units, up 0.9 percent compared with the same week last year.  Total U.S. traffic for the week was 525,333 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.3 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, up 19.7 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included motor vehicles and parts, down 19.3 percent, and grain, down 10.9 percent.

For the first 28 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,742,393 carloads, down 1.4 percent from the same point last year, and 6,724,236 intermodal units, up 3.5 percent from last year. Total U.S. traffic for the first 28 weeks of 2013 was 14,466,629 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 74,961 carloads for the week, down 2.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 54,453 intermodal units, up 0.3 percent compared with 2012. For the first 28 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,177,836 carloads, up 1.4 percent from the same point last year, and 1,470,852 intermodal units, up 4.3 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 15,620 carloads for the week, up 3.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,235 intermodal units, down 5.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 28 weeks of 2013 is 430,084 carloads, up 9.3 percent from the same point last year, and 262,165 intermodal units, down 0.4 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the 28 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 10,350,313 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 8,457,253 trailers and containers, up 3.5 percent compared with last year.