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July continues to be a good month for U.S. railroads in the carloadings department. During the week ending July 19, they originated 328,634 carloads, up 2.3 percent compared with the total from the same week in 2007 and their third-straight weekly gain this month, according to Association of American Railroads data.

However, U.S. roads' intermodal volume totaled 233,516 containers and trailers, down 2.4 percent year over year.

During 2008's first 29 weeks, the railroads originated 9.4 million carloads, up 0.4 percent, and 6.4 million intermodal loads, down 3.1 percent compared with totals from the same 2007 period. Total volume reached an estimated 971.9 billion ton-miles, representing a 1.7 percent year-over-year increase.

Conversely, during the week ending July 19, Canadian railroads’ originated carloads totaling 72,527 units declined 5.1 percent but intermodal volume totaling 51,798 units rose 3.1 percent compared with totals from the same 2007 period. Through 29 weeks, Canadian railroads originated 2.2 million carloads, down 4 percent, and 1.4 million containers and trailers, up 4.2 percent year over year.

On a combined cumulative-volume basis through 29 weeks, reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads originated 11.6 million carloads, down 0.4 percent, and 7.8 million intermodal loads, down 1.9 percent vs. totals from last year.