Intermodal volume on U.S. freight railroads for the week ended June 19, 2010, reached its highest level since the 45th week of 2008, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on June 24. Intermodal traffic totaled 227,985 trailers and containers, up 21.2% from last year but down .2% from 2008.
Carloads, however, retreated from the previous week's total of 288,973. U.S. railroads originated 284,913 carloads during the week ended June 19, up 9.2% from the comparable week in 2009, but down 10% from 2008.
Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume increased 23.2% while trailer volume rose 10.5%. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume was up 8.8% while trailer volume fell 32.8%.
Carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 12.2% from last year, but down 15.8% from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 7.2% from last year but down 5.6% from two years ago.
Increases over 2009 levels for the comparable week were seen in 15 of the 19 carload commodities groups; metallic ores and metals and metal products, up 108.9% and 78.2% respectively, posted the most significant gains. Coke was up 52.6%, and motor vehicles and products were up 49.8%. Coke also posted a slight increase (2%) over 2008 levels. The most substantial decrease was seen in farm products excluding grain, down 12.7%, although that commodity group is up year to date.
Canadian railroads reported volume of 73,788 cars for the week, up 22.3% from last year, and 49,749 trailers or containers, up 25.9% from 2009. For the first 24 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,740,750 carloads, up 21.5% from last year, and 1,093,534 trailers or containers, up 13.2% from last year.
Mexican railroads reported originated volume of 15,410 cars, up 15.3% from the same week last year, and 7,157 trailers or containers, up 49.2%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 24 weeks of 2010 was reported as 329,045 carloads, up 22.4% from last year; and 155,918 trailers or containers, up 36.1%.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 24 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 8,837,265 carloads, up 10.3% from last year, and 6,225,829 trailers and containers, up 12.5% from last year.
For further details, consult the AAR's weekly rail traffic charts.