WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nov. 10, 2011 – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported gains in weekly rail traffic, with U.S. railroads originating 298,465 carloads for the week ending Nov. 5, 2011, up 3.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 239,180 trailers and containers, up 3.5 percent compared with the same week last year.

Fifteen of the 20 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2010, including: metallic ores, up 23.2 percent; nonmetallic minerals, up 23 percent, and metals and products, up 19.9 percent. The groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic included: farm products excluding grain down 17.8 percent; grain, down 11.4 percent, and primary forest products, down 10.5 percent.

Weekly carload volume on Eastern railroads was up 1.6 percent compared with the same week last year. In the West, weekly carload volume was up 4.5 percent compared with the same week in 2010.

For the first 44 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 12,843,242 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 10,095,972 trailers and containers, up 5.2 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 80,439 carloads for the week, up 2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 52,025 trailers and containers, up 7.2 percent compared with 2010. For the first 44 weeks of 2011, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,323,095 carloads, up 3 percent from the same point last year, and 2,126,593 trailers and containers, up 1.7 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 13,639 carloads for the week, up 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,537 trailers and containers, up 25.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 44 weeks of 2011 was 629,007 carloads, up 4.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 365,315 trailers and containers, up 22.2 percent.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 44 weeks of 2011 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 16,795,344 carloads, up 2.1 percent compared with the same point last year, and 12,587,880 trailers and containers, up 5 percent compared with last year.