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North American railroads last year posted growth in domestic and international containers, which rose 5.2 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, compared with 2000 figures, according to Intermodal Association of North America's (IANA) Rail Intermodal Traffic Report released Feb. 20.
Overall, 2001 rail intermodal traffic outperformed the economy, falling only 1 percent short of 2000's total volume.
Meanwhile, fourth-quarter intermodal traffic dropped 1.8 percent compared with a similar 2000 period, mostly due to a 3 percent decline in total domestic equipment, IANA says.
International containers also decreased, by 0.7 percent, in the fourth quarter in the wake of foreign trade conditions, but quarterly domestic containers rose 6.3 percent.
By month, container traffic increased 5 percent in October and 1 percent in November, and then decreased slightly in December.
IANA's report also provides fourth-quarter statistics on several 100,000-unit minimum intermodal corridors: Traffic in the South Central and Southwest corridor grew 4.9 percent; Northeast and Midwest, 1.6 percent; and Midwest and Northwest, 6 percent, compared with fourth-quarter 2000.