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U.S. railroads’ January carloads and intermodal moves remained well ahead of last year’s pace even though the roads registered unprecedented traffic levels throughout 2005. The roads’ carloads totaling 1.3 million units increased 4.2 percent and intermodal loads totaling 890,704 units rose 6.1 percent compared with January 2005, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Total estimated volume of 129.4 billion ton-miles increased 5.9 percent.

“January was a good start to what railroads hope will be a very good year in 2006,” said AAR Vice President Craig Rockey in a prepared statement. “Railroads are confident that the enormous investments they made in 2005, and even larger projected investments in 2006, in infrastructure, equipment and labor will lead to enhanced service to their customers.”

Canadian railroads nailed a strong traffic performance in January, too. The roads’ carloads totaling 289,947 units rose 2.5 percent and intermodal loads totaling 166,094 units increased 6.1 percent compared with January 2005.

On a combined cumulative-volume basis through 2006’s first four weeks, 13 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads moved 1.6 million carloads, up 3.8 percent, and 1 million trailers and containers, up 6.1 percent compared with 2005’s first four weeks.

In Mexico, Kansas City Southern de México S.A. de C.V. (formerly TFM) couldn’t turn around a traffic slump during 2006’s first month. The railroad’s January carloads totaling 5,269 dropped 15.9 percent and intermodal originations totaling 27,909 units fell 14.1 percent compared with January 2005.