U.S. freight rail traffic continued gaining over 2013 levels in the week ending Dec. 13, 2014, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday, Dec. 18.
U.S. freight carload traffic rose a substantial 12.1% measured against the comparable week in 2013, while U.S. intermodal volume rose a respectable 4.5%. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic move up 8.4% for the week.
All 10 of the 10 carload commodity groups AAR tracks on a weekly basis contributed to the advance. Leading the way were nonmetallic minerals, up 28.8%, metallic ores and metals , up 24.4%, and petroleum and petroleum products, up 23%.
Canadian freight carload volume for the week ending Dec. 13 showed muscle of its own, up 11.8%, and Canadian intermodal almost matched that gain in percentage terms, up 10.8%. Mexican freight carload volume advanced more modestly, up 0.7% measured against the comparable week in 2013, while Mexican intermodal completed the sweep of North American gains, up 5.5%.
Combined North American freight carload traffic for the first 50 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian. and Mexican railroads was up 3.4% percent measured against the comparable period in 2013. Combined North American intermodal volume was up 5.3%.