AAR terms U.S. freight traffic

U.S. freight carload traffic slipped 0.3% for the week ending April 16, measured against the comparable week of a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. But U.S. intermodal volume for the week rose 9.8% compared with the same week last year.

AAR said 11 of the 20 carload commodity groups it measures posted increases from the comparable week in 2010. Leading the gainers: farm products excluding grain, up 18.6%; metallic ores, up 17.3%; and motor vehicles and equipment, up 12.5%. Notable decliners included: primary forest products, down 25%; nonmetallic minerals, down 22.4%; and waste and nonferrous scrap, down 17%.

Canadian freight carload volume for the week rose 4% versus the comparable week last year, while intermodal retreated 3% from 2010. Mexican freight carload traffic rose 16.4% compared with the same week last year, with intermodal also advancing, up 8.4%.

Combined North American freight carload volume for the first 15 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 3.9% compared with the same point last year, while intermodal was 8.1% higher than in the comparable period one year ago.