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U.S. railroads chalked up more traffic gains in April’s first full week. During the week ending April 9, they originated 293,798 carloads, up 1.8 percent, and 228,713 containers and trailers, up 12.4 percent compared with volumes from the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
 
Eleven of 20 carload commodity groups registered gains. However, coal volume dipped 2 percent during the week after increasing 4 percent year over year in the first quarter, according to Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.’s weekly “Rail Flash” report.

“Broadly, railroad coal commentary remains optimistic regarding export and utility demand as global economic recovery continues,” Baird analysts said in the report. “Notably, recent CSX coal volumes remain depressed with negative volume growth the past seven weeks, [which] likely is a function of domestic utility coal.”

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported weekly carloads totaling 77,363 units, up 3.7 percent, and intermodal volume totaling 49,297 units, up 12.4 percent year over year. Mexican railroads boosted weekly carload volume 6.1 percent to 14,497 units and increased intermodal volume 4.7 percent to 6,886 units.
 
Through 2011’s first 14 weeks, 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads originated 5.3 million carloads, up 4.1 percent, and 3.8 million containers and trailers, up 8.2 percent compared with volumes from the same 2010 period.

The AAR also announced that the Federal Railroad Administration recently extended a “care, custody and control” contract with AAR subsidiary Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) for an additional 10-year period ending Sept. 30, 2022.

In addition, the parties signed a mutual partnering agreement that calls for maintaining and improving TTCI facilities in Pueblo, Colo., and enhancing the use of the facilities for transportation research, development, security, training and testing.

TTCI provides research and development, testing, consulting and training services for rail-related technologies, such as freight and passenger rolling stock, vehicle and track components, and safety devices. The facility features 49 miles of test track, test laboratories, and the Security and Emergency Response Training Center, which has been used to train more than 40,000 emergency responders since 1985.