012810_RailTraffic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information Contact:
AAR Communications 202-639-2100
Holly Arthur harthur@aar.org
Lauren Sandberg lsandberg@aar.org
AAR Reports Freight Traffic Showing Slight Improvement
Rail Carloadings Up From 2009, Still Down Sharply from 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jan. 28, 2010 – The Association of American Railroads today reported that freight traffic is showing slight improvement in the year over year comparison but remains down sharply when compared to 2008. For the week ending Jan. 23, 2010, U.S. railroads originated 277,420 carloads, up 3.9 percent compared with the same week in 2009 and down 11.1 percent from the same week in 2008. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR will now be reporting 2010 weekly rail traffic with year-over-year comparisons for both 2009 and 2008.
In the Western U.S., carloads were down .2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9.4 percent compared with 2008. In the East, carloads were up 10.7 percent compared with 2009, and down 13.6 percent compared with the same week in 2008.
Intermodal traffic totaled 200,807 trailers and containers, up 2.9 percent from a year ago, but down 4.4 percent from 2008. Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume increased 6 percent and trailer volume fell 11.1 percent. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume increased 3.5 percent and trailer volume dropped 32.3 percent.
Thirteen of the 19 carload freight commodity groups were up in comparison with the same week last year, 10 of those posting double digit increases. Increases in commodity groups ranged from 5.5 percent for grain to 103.8 percent for nonmetallic minerals. Declines in commodity groups ranged from 25.7 percent for the catch-all category labeled "all other carloads" to 3.1 percent for coal.
Total volume on U.S. railroads for the week ending Jan. 23, 2009 was estimated at 30.2 billion ton-miles, up 4.9 percent from the same week last year and down 7.9 percent from 2007.
For the first 3 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 778,246 carloads, down 3.2 percent from 2009 and 19.4 percent from 2008; 599,323 trailers or containers, up .9 percent from 2009, but down 11.8 percent from 2008, and total volume of an estimated 84.4 billion ton-miles, down 2.5 percent from 2009 and 16.6 percent from 2008.
Canadian railroads reported volume of 73,354 cars for the week, up 13.5 percent from last year, and 44,295 trailers or containers, up 7.4 percent from 2009. For the first 3 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 214,081 carloads, up 19.1 percent from last year, and 131,596 trailers or containers, up 4.4 percent from last year.
Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 14,867 cars, up 29.8 percent from the same week last year, and 6,960 trailers or containers, up 41.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 3 weeks of 2010 was reported as 40,200 carloads, up 27.4 percent from last year; and 19,620 trailers or containers, up 42.5 percent.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 3 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 1,032,527 carloads, up 1.7 percent from last year, and 750,539 trailers and containers, up 2.3 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. Historic weekly and monthly rail statistics are available the AAR web site: www.aar.org. Follow us on Twitter: AAR_FreightRail
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