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All-time-high coal volume and strong intermodal demand helped U.S. railroads register significant traffic gains in June. The roads originated 1.39 million carloads, up 3.5 percent compared with June 2005, including a record 41,026 coal carloads, which rose 7.8 percent, according to the Association of American Railroads. Intermodal traffic totaling 979,501 containers and trailers increased 7.5 percent compared with June 2005.

During the second quarter, U.S. railroads originated 4.5 million carloads, up 2.3 percent, and 3.1 million containers and trailers, up 7.3 percent compared with the same 2005 period. In the first half, originated carloads totaled 8.8 million, up 1.5 percent, and intermodal traffic totaled 6 million units, up 6.4 percent. Total estimated volume of 867 billion ton-miles rose 2.6 percent compared with first-half 2005.

Canadian railroads’ originated carloads in June totaled 298,156 units, up 0.6 percent. But carloads totaling 978,382 units in the second quarter and 1.9 million units in the first half decreased 1.7 percent and 1.9 percent, respectively, compared with the same 2005 periods. The roads’ intermodal traffic rose 8.2 percent in June to 181,582 units; 6.9 percent in the second quarter to 596,371 units; and 5.7 percent in the first half to 1.2 million units compared with similar 2005 data.

On a combined cumulative-volume basis in the first half, 13 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads originated 10.7 million carloads, up 0.8 percent, and 7.2 million trailers and containers, up 6.3 percent compared with first-half 2005.

In Mexico, Kansas City Southern de México S.A. de C.V.’s June carloads totaled 46,308 units, down 2 percent compared with June 2005. Total intermodal units carried decreased 4.3 percent to17,383. During the first half, the railroad’s total carloads carried dropped 5.3 percent and total intermodal units carried declined 6.6 percent compared with first-half 2005.