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The calendar’s flip to October hasn’t turned U.S. railroads’ traffic fortunes much. During the week ending Oct. 3, their originated carloads fell 17.2 percent to 277,734 units and intermodal volume tumbled 15.7 percent to 206,293 units compared with traffic levels from the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Regionally, carloads dropped 16.4 percent in the West and 18.3 percent in the East.

Canadian railroads had a slightly better week as their originated carloads declined only 7.3 percent year over year to 73,377 units. But their intermodal volume declined 15.6 percent to 43,724 units.

Mexican railroads registered the best traffic results among the North American rail crowd. Their originated carloads dipped only 0.9 percent to 12,597 units and intermodal volume dropped only 3.4 percent to 7,593 units.

For more AAR data on North American railroads' traffic for the week ending Oct. 3 and through 2009’s first 39 weeks, follow this link.