The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Wednesday increased total US rail traffic for the month of August 2013, with intermodal setting a new record and carload volume increasing overall compared with August 2012.
Intermodal traffic in August 2013 totaled 1,031,179 containers and trailers, up 4.4 percent (43,398 units) compared with August 2012. The weekly average of 257,795 units in August 2013 was the highest weekly average for any month in history. Carloads originated in August totaled 1,178,619, up 0.5 percent or 5,285 carloads compared with the same month last year.
"In terms of average weekly volumes, August was the best intermodal month in history for both US and Canadian railroads," said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. "Because the fall is typically the peak season for intermodal traffic, it wouldn't be surprising to see new records set in September and October. Intermodal's strength is a testament to the massive private investments railroads have made in their intermodal operations and the tremendous effort they've put forth in improving the reliability, responsiveness, and cost effectiveness of their intermodal service."
For the first 35 weeks of 2013, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,780,754 carloads, down 1.1 percent from the same point last year, and 8,520,242 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year. Total US traffic for the first 35 weeks of 2013 was 18,300,996 carloads and intermodal units, up 1 percent from last year.
For the first 35 weeks of 2013, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,721,212 carloads, up 1.3 percent from the same point last year, and 1,860,165 intermodal units, up 4.1 percent from last year. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 35 weeks of 2013 is 539,392 carloads, up 8.4 percent from the same point last year, and 346,150 intermodal units, up 1.5 percent.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 35 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 13,041,358 carloads, down 0.2 percent compared with the same point last year, and 10,726,557 trailers and containers, up 3.6 percent compared with last year.