US Intermodal Volumes Rise for 10 Straight Weeks

U.S. intermodal rail volumes have risen for the 10th straight week over the same period in 2012, and Mexico saw its first year-over-year drop in intermodal volume since the week of January 5, according to the Association of American Railroads.

In the week ending March 16, combined North American carload volume, including all three North American Free Trade Agreement partners, rose 1.2 percent from the same week in 2012 to 376,243 carloads. Carload volume was up 1.4 percent from the prior week. However, the total North American carload volume for 2013 year-to-date is down 1.7 percent from the same period in 2012, at  4,021,514 carloads. North American intermodal volume grew 1.6 percent from the same week in 2012 to 287,285 trailers and containers but fell 3.5 percent from the prior week. Total intermodal volume for the first 11 weeks of 2013, 3,281,456 units, is 6.6 percent higher than the amount seen in the same period in 2012.

U.S. Carload and Intermodal Volumes
Year-Over-Year Percent Change
Source: Association of American Railroads

For a larger version of the chart, click on the image.

U.S. carload volume inched up 1.4 percent week-to-week and 0.5 percent year-over-year to 280,624 carloads, and U.S. intermodal volume fell 2.7 percent week-to-week but rose 0.7 percent year-over-year to 228,806 trailers and containers.

The week’s Canadian carload volume rose 2 percent from the same week in 2012 to 79,664 carloads, and was up 1.2 percent from the week before. Canadian intermodal volume increased over 8 percent year-to-year to 49,896 trailers and containers, but volume was down 5.4 percent from the previous week.

Mexican carload volume jumped 8.7 percent from the same week in 2012 to 15,955 carloads, up 2.4 percent from the previous week as well. Intermodal volume dropped 10 percent year-over-year, however, to 8,583 units. Volume was also down 12.7 percent from the previous week. The drop ended a nine-week upward trend.