AAR: Traffic strong in second week of 2011
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefU.S. carload freight traffic rose 7.5% in the second week of 2011 ending January 15, compared with the same week a year ago, The Association of American Railroads says. U.S intermodal volume for the week advanced 5.8% compared with the same week in 2010.
Eleven of AAR’s 20 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2010. Commodities posting significant gains in loadings included: metallic ores, up 119.%, and metals and products, up 17.9 %. Among decliners: waste and nonferrous scrap, down 20.2%, and primary forest products, down 15.2%.
Canadian carload freight traffic declined 4.4% during the second week of 2011, compared with the same week in 2010. Intermodal also fell, down 2.8%. Mexican freight carload traffic rose 11.2% from the same week in 2010, while intermodal fell a modest 0.4%.
Combined North American carload freight volume for the first two weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 10.4% from 2010, while intermodal registered a 5.8% gain.
