AAR: U.S. freight traffic gains ground

U.S. freight carload traffic advanced 1.1% for the week ending June 4, compared with the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday. AAR noted U.S. intermodal traffic fared even better, up 7.2% compared with the same week in 2010.

AAR said 15 of the 20 carload commodity groups it follows posted increases from the comparable week in 2010. Gainers were led by iron and steel scrap, up 18.7%, coke, up 18.1%, and grain, up 17.4%. Declines were seen in primary forest products, down 15.2% and nonmetallic minerals, down 10.5%.

Canadian freight carload traffic rose a robust 5.2% for the week compared with last year, but intermodal declined 2.8%. Mexican freight carload traffic fell 8.4% compared with the same week last year, but intermodal rose 20.8%.

Combined North American freight carload traffic for the first 22 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 2.9% compared with the same point last year, while intermodal was up 7.6% compared with last year.