AAR Reports Weekly U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Remains Down
17 Dec 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
AAR Communications 202-639-2100
Holly Arthur harthur@aar.org
Lauren Sandberg lsandberg@aar.org
AAR Reports Weekly U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Remains Down
Year-over-year Intermodal Container Volume Up Slightly from 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dec. 17, 2009 – The Association of American Railroads today reported that freight rail traffic remains down for the week ending Dec. 12, 2009. U.S. railroads reported originating 261,933 carloads, down 10.2 percent compared with the same week in 2008 and down 18.5 percent from the same week in 2007. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR will now be reporting 2009 weekly rail traffic with year over year comparisons for both 2008 and 2007.
In the Western U.S., carloads were down 13.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 16.4 percent compared with 2007. In the East, carloads were down 5.4 percent compared with 2008, and 21.4 percent compared with the same week in 2007.
Intermodal traffic totaled 204,950 trailers and containers, down 3 percent from a year ago and 14.3 percent from 2007. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume rose 3.6 percent and trailer volume dropped 24.5 percent. Compared with the same week in 2007, container volume fell 7.7 percent and trailer volume dropped 35.2 percent.
While 12 of the 19 carload freight commodity groups were down compared with the same week last year, increases were seen in grain mill products (16.1 percent), chemicals (14.8 percent), metallic ores (14.7 percent), motor vehicles and equipment (11.2 percent), grain (8.1 percent), waste and scrap metal (6 percent) and nonmetallic minerals (2.2 percent). Declines in commodity groups ranged from .7 percent for farm products excluding grain to 24.9 percent for crushed stone, sand and gravel.
Total volume on U.S. railroads for the week ending Dec. 12, 2009 was estimated at 29.3 billion ton-miles, down 9.8 percent compared with the same week last year and down 13.3 percent from 2007.
For the first 49 weeks of 2009, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 13,117,561 carloads, down 16.8 percent from 2008 and 18.1 percent from 2007; 9,380,016 trailers or containers, down 15 percent from 2008 and 18.1 percent from 2007, and total volume of an estimated 1.41 trillion ton-miles, down 15.8 percent from 2008 and 16.4 percent from 2007.
Canadian railroads reported volume of 66,894 cars for the week, up 1.9 percent from last year, and 38,441 trailers or containers, down 7.4 percent from 2008. For the first 49 weeks of 2009, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,070,940 carloads, down 19.1 percent from last year, and 2,011,446 trailers or containers, down 15.1 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 12,583 cars, up 2 percent from the same week last year, and 6,768 trailers or containers, up 13.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 49 weeks of 2009 was reported as 568,304 carloads, down 10.8 percent from last year; and 271,964 trailers or containers, down 14.4 percent.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 49 weeks of 2009 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 16,756,805 carloads, down 17 percent from last year, and 11,663,426 trailers and containers, down 15 percent from last year.
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Editors’ Note: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the world's leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers. AAR members include the major freight railroads, or Class I railroads, of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. Class I railroads represent 67 percent of the U.S. freight rail mileage and 90 percent of freight railroad industry employees. Railroads account for 43 percent of intercity freight volume — more than any other mode of transportation. AAR’s Rail Time Indicators report and video summary are available on the AAR web site: www.aar.org. A widget social-media tool, which allows users to share the material by uploading it to Web sites, blogs, or online network profiles, is also available.
Weekly Rail Traffic Charts