The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Thursday that US rail traffic continues to show mixed results in monthly rail data, and that impacts from Hurricane Sandy can be seen in decreased traffic for week 44.
Intermodal traffic in October saw an increase for the 35th straight month, totaling 1,233,475 containers and trailers, up 1.5 percent (18,710 units) compared with October of 2011. Carloads originated in October totaled 1,422,654 carloads, down 6.1 percent (92,601 carloads) compared with the same month last year. Commodities with carload declines in October were led by coal, down 16 percent or 108,210 carloads; iron and steel scrap, down 24.9 percent or 5,889 carloads, and metallic ores, down 13.3 percent or 5,501 carloads.
AAR also reported declines in rail traffic for the week ending November 3, 2012, which included impacts from Hurricane Sandy. Last week US railroads originated 278,230 carloads, down 6.8 percent compared with the same week last year, while intermodal volume for the week totaled 224,467 trailers and containers, down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
Canadian railroads reported 77,904 carloads for the week, down 3.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 50,705 trailers and containers, down 2.3 percent compared with 2011. Mexican railroads reported 14,465 carloads for the week, up 0.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,488 trailers and containers, up 18 percent.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 44 weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 16,497,384 carloads, down 1.8 percent compared with the same point last year, and 13,161,986 trailers and containers, up 4.5 percent compared with last year.