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U.S. railroads reported traffic gains during the week ending July 14, originating 286,156 carloads and 245,915 intermodal loads, up 1.7 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively, compared with the same week last year, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Ten of 20 commodity groups registered increases, with motor vehicles and equipment traffic surging 46.6 percent; petroleum products, 39.2 percent; and lumber and wood products, 13.3 percent. Commodities posting decreases included iron and scrap steel, down 25 percent; metallic ores, 14 percent; and farm products excluding grain, 13.5 percent.

For 2012’s first 28 weeks, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,854,130 carloads, down 2.6 percent from the same point last year, and 6,499,007 trailers and containers, up 3.5 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads posted traffic increases, as well, originating 77,039 carloads, up 3.2 percent, and 54,350 trailers and containers, up 5.8 percent. For the year’s first 28 weeks, Canadian railroads reported cumulative carloads of 2,145,397, up 3.4 percent, and intermodal loads of 1,411,619, up 7.1 percent.
 
Meanwhile, Mexican railroads reported 15,281 carloads for the week, up 9.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,768 trailers and containers, up 15.5 percent. Cumulative volume totaled 393,695 carloads, down 1.4 percent, and 260,209 intermodal loads, up 18.3 percent.

Through 2012’s first 28 weeks, 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads originated 10,393,222 carloads, down 1.4 percent, and 8,170,835 trailers and containers, up 4.5 percent compared with the same 2011 period.