AAR: Growth good for carload, intermodal freight

U.S. freight carload traffic rose 2.3% in the week ending March 19, 2011, measured against the comparable week in 2010, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. Intermodal volume for the week advanced 10.7% compared with one year ago.

AAR said 12 of the 20 carload commodity groups it measures posted increases from the comparable week in 2010. Leading the gainers: metallic ores, up 93.5%; petroleum products, up 12.9%; motor vehicles and equipment, up 12.2%; and pulp, paper and allied products, up 11.2%. Among decliners, waste and nonferrous scrap led the way, down 14%, while primary forest products fell 10.1%.

Canadian freight carload traffic rose 1.1% for the week compared with last year, while intermodal notched a 3.4% gain. Mexican freight carload traffic advanced 17.4% compared with the same week last year, while intermodal rose a similarly healthy 14.3%.

Combined North American freight carload volume for the first 11 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 4.1% compared with the same period last year, while intermodal rose 7.2%.