U.S. freight carload, intermodal traffic slips

Both U.S. freight carload volume and U.S. intermodal traffic declined for the week ending Aug. 27, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. U.S. freight carload volume dipped 0.8% for the week against the comparable period last year, while intermodal declined 0.5% compared with the same week in 2010.

AAR said 11 of the 20 carload commodity groups it measures posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, including: metallic ores, up 26.1%; iron and steel scrap, up 20.2%; and motor vehicles and equipment, up 13.2.% Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included: waste and nonferrous scrap, down 21.1%; farm products excluding grain, down 20.5%; and grain, down 17%.

Canadian freight carload volume rose 1% compared with the same week last year, but Canadian intermodal fell 4.1% compared with 2010. Mexican freight carload volume advanced 3.9% compared with the same week last year, while intermodal also gained, up 2.8%.

Combined North American freight carload volume for the first 34 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 2.2% compared with the same point last year, while intermodal was up 5.8% compared with the same period in 2010.