Rail Freight Traffic Down from Last Year
11 Dec 2008
Contact: Tom White
(202) 639-2556; twhite@aar.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rail Freight Traffic Down from Last Year
WASHINGTON, December 11, 2008 — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was down during the week ended December 6 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
Total volume was estimated at 32 billion ton-miles, down 7.2 percent from the same week last year.
Intermodal volume totaled 216,364 trailers or containers, down 9.8 percent from last year, with container volume down 7.6 percent and trailer volume down 16.5 percent.
Carload freight, which doesn't include the intermodal data, totaled 301,120 cars for the week, down 8.5 percent from last year. Loadings were down 13.6 percent in the East and 4.8 percent in the West.
Only two of 19 carload commodity groups were up compared with last year. Coal was up 5.3 percent while the commodity group termed All Other Carloads rose 8.3 percent. Among commodities reporting declines were metallic ores, down 28.6 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 33.5 percent; lumber and wood products, down 27.2 percent; metals and products, down 43.8 percent, and waste and scrap materials, down 29.5 percent.
Cumulative volume for the first 49 weeks of 2008 totaled 15,807,019 carloads, down 1.5 percent from 2007; 10,990,011 trailers or containers, off 3.6 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.65 trillion ton-miles, down 0.4 percent from last year.
On Canadian railroads, during the week ended December 6 carload traffic totaled 67,508 cars, down 5.6 percent from last year while intermodal volume totaled 45,856 trailers or containers, up 2.9 percent from last year.
Cumulative originations for the first 49 weeks of 2008 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,613,065 carloads, down 5.4 percent from last year, and 2,364,385 trailers and containers, up 2.5 percent from last year.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 49 weeks of 2008 on U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 19,420,084 carloads, down 2.3 percent from last year, and 13,354,396 trailers and containers, down 2.6 percent from last year.
The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Kansas City Southern de Mexico (KCSM) during the week ended December 6 totaled 9,342 cars, down 20.2 percent from last year. KCSM reported intermodal volume of 4,699 trailers or containers, down 16.4 percent from the 49th week of 2007.
For the first 49 weeks of 2008, KCSM reported cumulative volume of 497,216 cars, down 7.3 percent from last year, and 248,808 trailers or containers, up 7.5 percent.
Carload freight on the Mexican railroad Ferrocarril Mexicano (Ferromex) during the week ended December 6 totaled 12,831 cars, down 43.7 percent from last year. Ferromex reported intermodal volume of 2,437 trailers or containers, down 30.7 percent from the 49th week of 2007.
For the first 49 weeks of 2008, Ferromax reported cumulative volume of 610,772 cars, down 2.2 percent from last year, and 141,005 trailers or containers, down 0.1 percent.
Railroads reporting to AAR account for 89 percent of U.S. carload freight and 98 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 91 percent of Canadian rail traffic. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of U.S. intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.
AAR is the world's leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.
This press release is available weekly via the Internet at www.aar.org.
Weekly Traffic of Major U.S. Railroads For The Week Ending December 6, 2008. (PDF)