Written by: Stuart Chirls, Senior Editor Canadian railroads posted historic volume while U.S. railroads saw carloads reverse mostly year-long gains, as the Association of American Railroads said U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 16 totaled 530,774 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.4% from the same week a year ago. Freight totaled 260,771 carloads, down 3.6%, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 270,003 containers and trailers, up 0.9% on-year. Of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by AAR, only metallic ores and metals gained, up 15.4%. Declines were led by petroluem and petroleum products, 21.9%; farm products excluding grain, and food, 11.7%, and motor vehicles and parts, 11.1%. For the first 37 weeks of 2017, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,570,798 carloads, up 4.1%, and 9,860,655 intermodal units, up 3.4%. Total combined U.S. traffic was 19,431,453 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.7% from a year ago. North American rail volume for the week on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 362,507 carloads, flat at just 0.002% ahead from 2016, and 353,452 intermodal units, up 4.1%. Total combined traffic was 715,959 carloads and intermodal units, up 2%. North American rail volume for the first 37 weeks of 2017 was 25,760,998 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.1% on-year. Canadian railroads reported 86,678 carloads for the week, up 11.9%, and 72,269 intermodal units, up 17.5% percent and the most for any week in history for that country’s operators. For the first 37 weeks of 2017, cumulative volume of 5,325,540 carloads, containers and trailers was up 11.6%. Mexican railroads reported 15,058 carloads for the week, up 2.9%, and 11,180 intermodal units, up 7.6%. Cumulative volume for the first 37 weeks was 1,004,005 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 0.7%. Continue reading...
