AAR: Carload, intermodal gains continue
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefBoth U.S. carload freight volume and U.S. intermodal traffic continued to gain over 2009 levels in the week ending October 16 over the comparable week in 2009, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.
U.S. carload freight volume rose 10.1%, with 14 of the 19 carload commodity groups registering gains. Metallic ores again notched the most significant gain, up 183.2%. Other commodities gaining included stone, clay, and glass products, up 32%, crushed stone, sand, and gravel, up 30.9%, and grain, up 20.1%. Non-metallic minerals led the decliners, down 25.9%.
U.S. intermodal traffic advanced 15.1% for the week, with container volume up 15.8% and trailer volume up 11.1%.
Canadian freight carload traffic rose 12.3% from last year, while Canadian intermodal rose 16%. Mexican carload freight volume gained 16.8% from the same week last year, while intermodal rose 14.2%.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 9.8% over the comparable 2009 period, while intermodal was up 15.1%.
