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U.S. railroads continued to register fewer carloads in May’s first full week. During the week ending May 7, they originated 281,860 carloads, down 2.6 percent compared with volume from the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Only six of 20 carload commodity groups posted increases, including grain, which had a volume spike of 19.9 percent. Primary forest products volume plunged 19.5 percent, non-metallic minerals volume dropped 16.3 percent and waste/nonferrous scrap volume fell 13.7 percent.

However, U.S. railroads’ weekly intermodal volume climbed 11.2 percent year over year to 232,178 units. Secular growth was fueled by tight truckload capacity, higher fuel prices and Eastern rail infrastructure development, according to Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.’s weekly “Rail Flash” report.

“Eastern intermodal volumes rebounded this week as high service requirements support network preference, despite Midwest flood disruptions,” Baird analysts said in the report. “Broadly, Eastern rail volume growth has outpaced Western rail volumes, owing to secular growth in local East [markets].”
 
Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported weekly carload volume of 77,676 units, up 3.3 percent, and intermodal volume of 50,052 units, up 8.7 percent year over year.
For the week ending May 7, Mexican railroads increased carload volume 8.4 percent to 14,700 units and boosted intermodal volume 28.7 percent to 7,929 units.

Through 2011’s first 18 weeks, 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads originated 6.8 million carloads, up 3.1 percent, and nearly 5 million containers and trailers, up 8.1 percent compared with volumes from the same 2010 period.

For more AAR traffic data for the week ending May 7 and through 18 weeks, follow this link.