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After a slow traffic week that included the Memorial Day holiday, U.S. railroads are back on the carload-growth track. During the week ending June 12, the roads increased carloads and intermodal loads 3.3 percent and 11.2 percent, respectively, compared with similar 2003 data, according to the Association of American Railroads. Total weekly volume of 31.4 billion ton miles rose 4 percent.

During the year's first 23 weeks, U.S. roads moved 7,701,063 carloads, up 3.4 percent, and 4,678,964 trailers and containers, up 8.6 percent compared with similar 2003 data. Estimated total volume of 694.8 billion ton miles rose 4.7 percent.

Canadian railroads registered strong weekly carload traffic, which increased 9.8 percent. However, intermodal volume dropped 1.4 percent compared with similar 2003 data.

During 2004's first 23 weeks, Canadian roads moved 1,544,881 carloads, up 8.4 percent, and 950,622 trailers and containers — about the same compared with last year.

On a combined cumulative-volume basis through 23 weeks, 15 reporting U.S. and Canadian roads moved 9,255,944 carloads, up 4.2 percent, and 5,629,061 trailers and containers, up 7 percent compared with similar 2003 data.

In Mexico, TFM S.A. de C.V. increased weekly carloads 27.6 percent, but weekly intermodal volume dropped 26.5 percent. Through 23 weeks, TFM moved 200,896 carloads, up 1.5 percent, and 69,946 trailers and containers, down 16.3 percent compared with similar 2003 data.