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The year’s fifth week was a good one for U.S. railroads despite severe winter weather in the East. During the week ending Feb. 6, they originated 268,033 carloads, up 1.4 percent, and 201,188 intermodal loads, up 5.1 percent compared with totals from the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Total volume increased 2.5 percent to an estimated 29.2 billion ton-miles.

Carloads rose 2 percent in the West and 0.2 percent in the East. Although snowstorms and heavy rains hammered the eastern railroads near the end of last week, “we expect an even larger impact on eastern rails this week” because of East Coast blizzards, said Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. analysts in their weekly “Rail Flash” report.

During the week ending Feb. 6, Canadian railroads reported 69,559 carloads, up 9.3 percent, and 43,688 containers and trailers, up 2.4 percent year over year. Mexican railroads reported 11,089 carloads, up 11.4 percent, and 5,152 intermodal loads, up 19.5 percent.

For more AAR traffic data for the week ending Feb. 6 and through 2010’s first five weeks, follow this link.