U.S. rail traffic maintained its upward momentum during the week ending Nov. 23, 2013, the Association of American Railroads reported Wednesday, Nov. 27, though the 2012 Thanksgiving Day holiday played a role in the 2012 data.
U.S. freight carload traffic for the week rose 17.4% measured against he comparable week in 2012, which was Thanksgiving week. U.S. intermodal volume was up 37.7% compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was up 26.2%.
All 10 of the carload commodity groups tracked by AAR on a weekly basis posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, led by motor vehicles and parts , up 42.2%, and nonmetallic minerals and products, up 40.3%.
Canadian freight carload traffic did well enough without the "interference" of U.S. Thanksgiving, up 5.6% for the week ending Nov. 23 compared with a year ago. Canadian intermodal volume rose 7.9%. Mexican freight carload traffic advanced 3.3% for the week, but Mexican intermodal volume slumped 13.4%.
Combined North American freight carload volume for the 47 weeks of 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was up 0.6% measured against the comparable week of 2012. Combined intermodal volume was up 4.5%.