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Despite a sluggish first seven days, U.S. railroads are off to a good four-week start in 2004. In January, the roads moved 1,305,668 carloads, up 2.5 percent (31,534 units), and 781,735 trailers and containers, up 5.4 percent (40,107 units) compared with January 2003, according to Association of American Railroads data released Feb. 5. Estimated monthly total volume of 116.5 billion ton-miles increased 3.6 percent.

U.S. roads moved more carloads of coke (30.6 percent); crushed stone, sand and gravel (11 percent); grain (10.4 percent); and coal (2.3 percent) compared with January 2003. However, motor vehicle and equipment, and metallic ore moves dropped 12.9 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively.

Canadian railroads registered carload gains (3.1 percent) in January, as well, but intermodal traffic decreased 2.1 percent compared with the same 2003 period. Grain and metallic ore moves increased 26.6 percent and 28.7 percent, respectively, while motor vehicles and equipment, and chemical moves dropped 6.2 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.

On a combined cumulative-volume basis, 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian roads last month moved 1,556,809 carloads, up 2.6 percent, and 937,424 trailers and containers, up 4.1 percent compared with January 2003.

"Even with substantially depressed motor vehicle traffic and severe winter weather in parts of the country that hampered rail operations, the industry posted healthy increases in both carload and intermodal traffic in January," said AAR Vice President Craig Rockey in a prepared statement.

But the monthly traffic news wasn't good for TFM S.A. de C.V.: Carloads and intermodal originations decreased 10.3 percent (3,659 units) and 20.6 percent (3,066 units), respectively, compared with January 2003.