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U.S. railroads continue to register traffic gains in May. During the week ending May 21, they originated 295,148 carloads, up 2.3 percent, and 234,235 containers and trailers, up 8.7 percent compared with volumes from the same week in 2010, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
 
Twelve of 20 carload commodity groups posted gains, including coal traffic, which rose 1 percent. Recent flood-related impacts on coal traffic are subsiding, so export coal remains a growth opportunity, said Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. analysts in their weekly “Rail Flash” report.

“Rail coal commentary remains optimistic regarding export opportunities given pent-up demand and global growth,” they said. “Additionally, rails have indicated more normalized utility inventory levels.”
 
Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported weekly carloads totaling 75,182, up 5.2 percent, and intermodal loads totaling 48,830, down 1.2 percent year over year. During the week ending May 21, Mexican railroads’ carloads fell 2.2 percent to 14,385 units, but their intermodal volume climbed 22.4 percent to 8,681 units.
 
Through 2011’s first 20 weeks, 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads originated 7.6 million carloads, up 3 percent, and 5.6 million containers and trailers, up 7.9 percent compared with volumes from the same 2010 period.

For more AAR traffic data for the week ending May 21 and through 20 weeks, follow this link.