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U.S. railroads increased traffic last week, albeit by small margins. During the week ending July 23, they originated 291,909 carloads, up 1.4 percent, and 232,181 containers and trailers, up 0.8 percent compared with volumes from the same week last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
 
Twelve of 20 carload commodity groups posted gains, led by metallic ores (up 53.2 percent), iron and steel scrap (24.5 percent), and crushed stone, sand and gravel (16.8 percent). Metal-based products have broadly led year-over-year volume increases, although week 29 volumes in aggregates, lumber, non-metallic minerals and waste were up by double digits, said Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. analysts in their weekly “Rail Flash” report.
 
Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported weekly carloads of 74,408 units, up 0.7 percent, and intermodal volume of 49,849 units, up 8.3 percent year over year. Mexican railroads’ weekly carloads climbed 15.2 percent to 15,473 units and intermodal volume jumped 56.6 percent to 9,417 containers and trailers.
 
Through 2011’s first 29 weeks, 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads originated 10.9 million carloads, up 2.5 percent, and 8.1 million containers and trailers, up 6.6 percent compared with the same 2010 period.

For more AAR traffic data for the week ending July 23 and through 29 weeks, follow this link.