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RAIL TRAFFIC RECOVERY CONTINUES

22 April 2010 by Cullen Roche 2 Comments

The AAR is reporting a continuing surge in rail traffic as signs of recovery become more and more apparent.  U.S. railroads originated 296,599 carloads for the week ending April 17th.  This was 16.1% higher year over year and down 11.6% from 2008.  This was the highest level since December of 2008.  Intermodal traffic totaled 209,903, up 14.6% year over year and down 6.3% versus 2008.

The AAR reports the breadth of the traffic was quite strong:

“Eighteen of 19 carload commodity groups were up from last year, led by a 177.5 percent jump in loadings of metallic ores. Other notable increases included 68.8 percent for metals, 49 percent for motor vehicles and equipment, 46.4 percent for nonmetallic minerals and 34.5 percent for primary forest products. Grain was up 12.2 percent, and coal gained 9.6 percent. The only commodity registering a decline was pulp, paper and allied products, off 6.7 percent.”

Source: AAR

Cullen Roche

Cullen Roche

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Comments
  • Lee

    This is one of the more encouraging signals that I have seen recently. It is not surprising that pulp transport was down. We had a wet winter and the local mills were paying a premium for pulpwood.

    04/22/2010 at 9:24 PM
    • steve

      Could it be that all the rail traffic is from the military? that is all I see latley in central texas. all going south to the ports.

      04/23/2010 at 9:45 AM