Intermodal traffic continues rebound
Intermodal volumes hit their highest point ever last week according to the American Association of Railroads.
AAR said 236,406 trailers and containers moved on U.S. railroads, a 22.4 percent increase from the same week in 2009 and up 2.6 percent compared with 2008.
2008 may be the more significant comparison considering that the recession had yet to take full hold and freight demand was higher than in 2009.
It was the second consecutive week of record volumes for the year.
Weekly container volume increased 24.2 percent over 2009 and 11.5 percent above the 2008 period. Trailer volume rose 12.4 percent versus 2009 but fell 30.5 percent against the same week in 2008.
Carload traffic increased 6.2 percent compared to 2009, but decreased 11 percent from 2008. Fourteen of 19 carload categories increased, led by metallic ores, metals and metal products.
Year-to-date, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9.34 million carloads, up 7.1 percent from 2009, but down 13 percent from 2008. Intermodal originations are up 14.2 percent from last year, but down 5.4 percent from two years ago.
The intermodal trend is heading in the right direction for railroads, though. Through the first 24 weeks of the year railroads transported 11.7 percent more intermodal units than in 2009, and 7.3 percent fewer than in 2008. Carload traffic has dipped slightly from earlier in the year.
Canadian railroads reported volume of 71,033 cars for the week, up 10.5 percent from last year, and 50,999 trailers or containers, up 21.7 percent from 2009. For the first 33 weeks of 2010, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 2.38 million carloads, up 20.8 percent from last year, and 1.53 million trailers or containers, up 15.4 percent from last year.
Combined North American rail volume for the first 33 weeks of 2010 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 12.17 million carloads, up 10 percent from last year, and 8.77 million trailers and containers, up 14.8 percent from last year.