AAR: U.S. freight traffic makes

U.S. freight carload traffic for the week ending August 6, 2011, was up a “modest” 0.4% compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. U.S. intermodal volume for the week improved somewhat more, up 1.9%, compared with the same week last year.

AAR said 13 of its 20 carload commodity groups posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, led by iron and steel scrap, up 37.6%, metal and products, up 14.2%, and farm products excluding grain, up 13.6%. Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included: grain, down 22.5%, and waste and nonferrous scrap, down 14.2%.

Canadian freight carload volume for the week advanced 2.3% compared with the same week last year, but intermodal fell 4.3%. Mexican freight carload volume rose 1.6% compared with a year ago, while intermodal charged ahead 23.9%.

Combined North American freight carload volume for the first 31 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican was up 2.3% measured against the comparable period in 2010, while intermodal was up 6.3% compared with a year ago.