advertisement

---

During the week including Christmas, U.S. railroads boosted intermodal volume but registered a drop in carloads. In 2009’s 51st week ending Dec. 26, they originated 197,754 carloads, down 1.1 percent, and 141,699 containers and trailers, up 14.2 percent compared with volumes from the same week in 2008, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Total volume fell 0.9 percent to 22.1 billion ton-miles.

Canadian railroads reported weekly carload volume of 55,572 units, up 33.5 percent, and intermodal volume of 30,653 units, up 49 percent. Mexican railroads’ weekly carloads jumped 37.7 percent to 10,718 units and intermodal volume soared 53.3 percent to 5,462 containers and trailers.

For more AAR data on North American railroads' traffic for the week ending Dec. 26 and through 2009’s first 51 weeks, follow this link.