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Heading into the year’s final stretch, U.S. railroads continued to post traffic gains. During the week ending Dec. 18, they originated a relatively flat 271,709 carloads, but boosted intermodal volume 5 percent to 220,187 units compared with traffic from the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Container volume increased 4.9 percent and trailer volume rose 5.2 percent, while 12 of 19 carload commodity groups registered gains.

Canadian railroads reported weekly volume of 71,009 carloads, up 8.5 percent, and 43,782 containers and trailers, up 4.5 percent year over year. Mexican railroads’ weekly carloads dipped 0.3 percent to 13,951 units, but intermodal volume increased 7 percent to 6,738 units.

Through 2010’s first 50 weeks, 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads originated 18.7 million carloads, up 9.2 percent, and 13.7 million containers and trailers, up 14.6 percent vs. year-ago levels.

For more AAR traffic data for the week ending Dec. 18 and through 50 weeks, follow this link.