U.S. freight traffic beats 2009, 2008 marks
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefU.S. freight carload traffic for the week ending July 3 scored another advance over traffic from the comparable week one year ago—up 18.8%–but also edged up 0.4% from the comparable week in 2008, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. One caveat: Comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008 included the July 4th holiday, AAR said.
Still, the gains for the 26th week were significant, as 18 of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009. They included metallic ores, up 205.5%; motor vehicles and equipment, up 122%; metals and metal products, up 80.3%; and crushed stone, sand, and gravel, up 50.6%. Seven of the commodity groups also posted gains over 2008 levels.
U.S. intermodal traffic rose 36.6% from the comparable 2009 week and was up 19.1% over 2008 levels, in fact reaching its highest level since week 42 of 2008.
Canadian carload volume was up 21.3% over the comparable 2009 period, while intermodal traffic rose 22.2%. Mexico’s two major railroads reported carload volume was up 21.9%, while intermodal gained 21.3%.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 26 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 10.8% from last year, while intermodal advanced 13.6%.
