AAR: Carload freight continues to gain modestly

U.S. carload freight gained 4.9% in the week ending November 6 over the comparable week one year ago, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday. Intermodal continued its more torrid advance, up 11.7% compared with one year ago.

Thirteen of the 19 carload commodity groups identified by AAR increased, with significant gains in metallic ores, up 45.8%, metals and products, up 31.1%, crushed stone, sand and gravel, up 26%, and farm products excluding grain, up 25.9% Commodity groups posting declines included nonmetallic minerals, down 17.8%, primary forest products, down 13.2%, and grain, down 9.1%.

Canadian carload freight volume rose 9.3% from last year, while Canadian intermodal volume increased 12.4%. Mexican carload freight gained 9.6%, while intermodal rose 8%.

Combined North American carload freight volume for the first 44 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads notched a 9.6% increase over last year, while intermodal rose 15%.