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Rail News: Intermodal
11/7/2008
Rail News: Intermodal
AAR's October scorecard: U.S. and Canadian roads tally fewer carloads, intermodal loads
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Although it rolls around about the time the fall peak is in full swing, October wasn’t a good month for railroads, traffic-wise.
In the United States, railroads originated 1.6 million carloads, down 2.8 percent, and 1.2 million intermodal loads, down 2.9 percent compared with October 2007 totals, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.
Only four of 19 commodity categories registered gains, including coal — U.S. railroads’ lone “bright spot” in October, the AAR said — and metallic ores, which both increased 6.1 percent.
“With the kind of economic news we’ve had over the past few weeks, a decline in rail traffic in October shouldn’t surprise anyone,” said AAR Senior Vice President John Gray in a prepared statement. “Auto-related rail traffic remains weak because auto sales are weak, [and] grain traffic is down in part because rail grain traffic last year at this time was at record highs and because of the [recent] stronger dollar.”
Through 2008’s first 10 months, U.S. railroads originated 14.3 million carloads, down 0.5 percent, and 9.9 million containers and trailers, down 3.1 percent compared with totals from the same 2007 period. Total volume inched up 0.5 percent to an estimated at 1.49 trillion ton-miles.
Canadian railroads had a rough October, too. Their originated carloads dropped 7.6 percent to 371,819 units and intermodal volume fell 1.2 percent to 249,782 units compared with October 2007 levels. Through 10 months, Canadian railroads’ carloads declined 4.7 percent to 3.3 million units, but intermodal loads increased 3.5 percent to 2.1 million units.
On a combined cumulative-volume basis through 10 months, 12 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads originated 17.6 million carloads, down 1.4 percent, and 12 million containers and trailers, down 2 percent vs. totals from the same 2007 period.
In Mexico, Kansas City Southern de México S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) reported October carloads totaling 49,458 units, down 11.1 percent compared with October 2007’s total. However, the railroad’s intermodal volume jumped 14.4 percent to 30,438 units. Through 10 months, KCSM’s carloads declined 6 percent, but intermodal volume rose 9.2 percent vs. totals from the same 2007 period.
Full-month and 10-month figures from Ferrocarril Mexicano S.A. de C.V. weren’t released by the AAR, which began to report the railroad’s traffic in early October.
In the United States, railroads originated 1.6 million carloads, down 2.8 percent, and 1.2 million intermodal loads, down 2.9 percent compared with October 2007 totals, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.
Only four of 19 commodity categories registered gains, including coal — U.S. railroads’ lone “bright spot” in October, the AAR said — and metallic ores, which both increased 6.1 percent.
“With the kind of economic news we’ve had over the past few weeks, a decline in rail traffic in October shouldn’t surprise anyone,” said AAR Senior Vice President John Gray in a prepared statement. “Auto-related rail traffic remains weak because auto sales are weak, [and] grain traffic is down in part because rail grain traffic last year at this time was at record highs and because of the [recent] stronger dollar.”
Through 2008’s first 10 months, U.S. railroads originated 14.3 million carloads, down 0.5 percent, and 9.9 million containers and trailers, down 3.1 percent compared with totals from the same 2007 period. Total volume inched up 0.5 percent to an estimated at 1.49 trillion ton-miles.
Canadian railroads had a rough October, too. Their originated carloads dropped 7.6 percent to 371,819 units and intermodal volume fell 1.2 percent to 249,782 units compared with October 2007 levels. Through 10 months, Canadian railroads’ carloads declined 4.7 percent to 3.3 million units, but intermodal loads increased 3.5 percent to 2.1 million units.
On a combined cumulative-volume basis through 10 months, 12 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads originated 17.6 million carloads, down 1.4 percent, and 12 million containers and trailers, down 2 percent vs. totals from the same 2007 period.
In Mexico, Kansas City Southern de México S.A. de C.V. (KCSM) reported October carloads totaling 49,458 units, down 11.1 percent compared with October 2007’s total. However, the railroad’s intermodal volume jumped 14.4 percent to 30,438 units. Through 10 months, KCSM’s carloads declined 6 percent, but intermodal volume rose 9.2 percent vs. totals from the same 2007 period.
Full-month and 10-month figures from Ferrocarril Mexicano S.A. de C.V. weren’t released by the AAR, which began to report the railroad’s traffic in early October.
