Rail Traffic Continues to Reflect Expansion

Cullen Roche submits: Another solid set of numbers out this week from the AAR: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported weekly rail traffic slowed during the Labor Day holiday with U.S. railroads originating 277,530 carloads during the week ending Sept. 11, 2010, up 5.1 percent compared with the same week in 2009, and down 15.5 percent compared to the same week in 2008. The comparison weeks from 2010 and 2009 included the Labor Day holiday while the comparison week from 2008 did not. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008.Intermodal traffic totaled 206,850 trailers and containers, up 18.1 percent from the same week in 2009, and down 12.7 percent compared with 2008. Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume increased 20.7 percent and trailer volume rose 4.1 percent. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume decreased 4.6 percent and trailer volume declined 43 percent.Complete Story »