AAR said 11 of the 20 carload commodity groups it measured posted increases compared with the same week in 2011. Gainers were led by petroleum products, up 39.9%, motor vehicles and equipment, up 14.8%, and metallic ores, up 11.5%. Pacing the declining commodity groups were coal, down 13.1%, and coke, down 10.3%.

Canadian freight carload volume rose 4.8% for the week compared with the same week last year, while Canadian intermodal volume rose dramatically, up 16.8%. Mexican freight carload volume followed the U.S. lead, down 2.5% for the week compared with the same week last year, while Mexican intermodal also mirrored the U.S. counterpart, up 17.3%.

Combined North American freight carload volume for the first 10weeks of 2012 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was down 0.1% compared with the first 10 weeks of 2011. Combined intermodal volume was up 3.5% compared with last year.