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It didn't amount to a five-year high as it did the previous week, but U.S. railroads' carload total of 337,681 units for the week ending May 8 bested carload volume during a comparable 2003 week by 3.9 percent, according to Association of American Railroads data released May 13.

Weekly intermodal loads totaling 210,909 units rose 7.7 percent compared with similar 2003 data and represented U.S. roads' fourth-best seven-day intermodal traffic tally. Estimated total volume of 30.8 billion ton-miles increased 6.2 percent.

During 2004's first 18 weeks, U.S. roads moved 5,996,077 carloads, up 3.3 percent, and 3,628,034 trailers and containers, up 7.9 percent compared with similar 2003 data. Estimated total volume of 539.8 billion ton-miles rose 4.8 percent.

Canadian roads' weekly carloads totaled 71,661 units — a 12.5 percent increase compared with the same 2003 week. Intermodal loads totaling 44,757 units rose a more meager 0.7 percent.

During the year's first 18 weeks, Canadian roads moved 1,219,857 carloads and 734,175 intermodal loads, a 7.4 percent increase and 0.3 percent decrease, respectively, compared with similar 2003 data.

On a combined cumulative-volume basis through 18 weeks, 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian roads moved 7,215,934 carloads, up 4 percent, and 4,362,209 trailers and containers, up 6.4 percent compared with last year's totals.

Meanwhile, TFM S.A. de C.V.'s traffic continues to erode. The Mexican Class I's weekly carloads (8,115 units) dropped 4.1 percent and intermodal loads (2,575 units) declined 36.1 percent compared with similar 2003 data. During 2004's first 18 weeks, TFM's carloads (150,289 units) and intermodal loads (58,672 units) decreased 4.6 percent and 10 percent, respectively.