U.S. INTERMODAL TRAFFIC DOWN 2.6% IN 2001

U.S. INTERMODAL TRAFFIC DOWN 2.6% IN 2001

   U.S. intermodal rail traffic finished 2001 down 2.6 percent, to 8.94 million units, according to the Association of American Railroads.

   Intermodal volumes fell 1.5 percent in December and 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2001.

   While intermodal traffic was down, total freight ton-miles reached a record 1.49 trillion, up 1.1 percent from 2000.

   Carload traffic — which excludes intermodal ' was also off for the year, despite improvements of 2.9 percent in December and 1.8 percent for the fourth quarter. For the year, carloads fell 0.7 percent to 17.25 million units. Healthy gains in coal volumes, up 5.2 percent, were offset by declines in nearly all other commodity categories, the AAR said.