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U.S. roads' scorecard now reads carloads three, intermodal five — the number of consecutive months they increased volume for those traffic segments compared with similar 2001 periods.


U.S. carload moves in August rose 1.5 percent (20,405 units) while intermodal traffic climbed 8.0 percent (58,541 units), according to Association of American Railroads data released Sept. 5.


Metallic-ore moves rose 17.5 percent — pacing roads' August carload gains in 13 of 19 commodities — followed by increases in metal and metal-product moves (11.0 percent), waste or scrap material (up 7.9 percent) and chemicals (3.6 percent).


However, U.S. roads moved fewer carloads of coal (0.8 percent), grain (4.6 percent) and primary forest products (12.3 percent).


"While we obviously would like to see overall rail traffic increase at a higher rate in the months ahead, rail traffic levels for many important industrial sectors — for example, chemicals and motor vehicles — are up noticeably from last year," said AAR Vice President Craig Rockey in a prepared statement.


For the year's first eight months, U.S. railroads moved 11,472,002 carloads (down 1.2 percent), and 6,253,797 trailers and containers (up 5.1 percent, including a 9.1 percent container increase), compared with a similar 2001 period.


AAR estimates total volume through 2002's first 35 weeks at 983.5 billion ton-miles, down 0.4 percent compared with last year.


Meanwhile, Canadian roads last month moved about the same number of carloads as August 2001, but intermodal moves shot up 15.6 percent.


For the year's first eight months, Canadian railroads moved 2,081,542 carloads (down 3.1 percent), and 1,322,368 trailers and containers (up 9.1 percent) compared with the same 2001 period.


On a combined cumulative basis, 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian roads through 2002's first 35 weeks moved 13,553,544 carloads (dropping 1.5 percent), and 7,576,165 trailers and containers (rising 5.8 percent).


For TFM S.A. de C.V., August carloads plummeted 34.0 percent (9,024 units) while intermodal originations ballooned 18.4 percent (2,129 units) compared with August 2001. But through the year's first eight months, the Mexican railroad increased both carloads (3.9 percent) and intermodal moves (16.5 percent) compared with last year.