U.S. freight traffic slips in latest week

U.S. freight carload traffic fell 0.4% in the week ending Sept. 3, 2011, measured against the comparable week in 2010, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday. U.S. intermodal freight traffic also fell, down 1.3%, compared with a year ago.

AAR said 12 of the 20 carload commodity groups it measured posted increases from the comparable week in 2010, including metallic ores, up 24.5%, and lumber and wood products, up 23.2%. Groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included farm products excluding grain, down 23.9%, and grain, down 21.4%.

Canadian freight carload traffic for the week rose 3.3% compared with the same week in 2010, while intermodal also advanced, up 3.8%. Mexican freight carload traffic rose 5.3% percent compared with the same week last year, while intermodal advanced 31.5%.

Combined North American freight carload traffic for the first 35 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 2.1% measured against the comparable period in 2010, while intermodal was up 5.6%.

AAR on Thursday also tallied monthly results for August, reporting U.S. freight carload traffic declined 0.3% for the month compared with one year ago, while U.S. intermodal volume rose 0.4% for the month.

As of Sept. 1, 2011, 271,404 freight cars, or 17.8% of the North American fleet, were in storage. This is 5,539 fewer cars than on August 1, AAR said.