WASHINGTON, D.C. — Freight railroad traffic was down sharply in May in comparison with the same month last year, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
U.S. rail carload traffic in May 2009 fell 24.7 percent (325,267 carloads) compared to May 2008 to 989,306 carloads. U.S. rail intermodal traffic (which is not included in carloads) fell 19.7 percent (177,482 trailers and containers) to 723,898 units in May 2009.
Canadian rail carload traffic (which includes both the Canadian and U.S. operations of CN and Canadian Pacific, the two largest Canadian railroads) fell 32.8 percent (104,003 carloads) in May 2009 to 213,517 carloads, while Canadian intermodal traffic fell 34,844 units (18.1 percent) to 157,446 trailers and containers.
U.S.U.S. rail carloadings fell in May 2009 in all 19 major commodity groups tracked by the AAR, including coal (down 89,134 carloads, or 15.8 percent); motor vehicles and equipment (down 35,674 carloads, or 52.3 percent); and metals and metal products (down 33,987 carloads, or 62.7 percent). Carloads of chemicals were down 23,147 carloads (18.3 percent) and carloads of grain were down 21,910 carloads (24.5 percent).
Canadian carload declines in May 2009 were led by metallic ores (down 79.8 percent, or 45,392 carloads); chemicals (down 13,487 carloads, or 23.6 percent); and grain (down 7,222 carloads, or 17.1 percent).
“May marked the second straight month in which U.S. rail coal carloadings had double-digit declines, a consequence of lower electricity demand and higher coal stockpiles,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “Industrial production is still down sharply across the board. That means lower demand for rail service for everything from chemicals and scrap metal to cement and ores. Basically, railroads are in a waiting game — waiting for the economy to turn.”
Mexican rail carload originations (which include Ferrocarril Mexicano and Kansas City Southern dé Mexico) were down 18.5 percent (10,635 carloads) in May 2009, while intermodal originations were down 21.7 percent (5,580 trailers and containers).
For the first five months of 2009, carload traffic was down 19.6 percent (1,349,097 carloads) on U.S. railroads; down 23.8 percent (388,734 carloads) on Canadian railroads; and down 14.2 percent (38,324 carloads) on Mexican railroads. In 2009 through May, intermodal traffic was down 16.9 percent (788,814 trailers and containers) on U.S. railroads; down 14.8 percent (147,495 units) on Canadian railroads; and down 20.5 percent (25,919 units) on Mexican railroads.
Total volume on U.S. railroads was estimated at 586.8 billion ton-miles, down 18.5 percent from the first five months of 2008.
For just the week ended May 30, the AAR reported the following totals for U.S. railroads: 233,195 carloads, down 26.3 percent from the corresponding week in 2008; intermodal volume of 164,916 trailers and containers, down 19.2 percent; and total volume of an estimated 24.8 billion ton-miles, down 25.1 percent from the equivalent week last year. Both the most recent week and the comparison week from last year included the Memorial Day holiday.
For Canadian railroads during the week ended May 30, the AAR reported volume of 53,790 carloads, down 30.9 percent from last year; and 38,489 trailers and containers, down 20.8 percent from the corresponding week in 2008.
Combined cumulative volume for the first 21 weeks of 2009 on 12 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads was 6,775,911 carloads, down 20.4 percent (1,737,831 carloads) from last year; and 4,734,644 trailers and containers, down 16.5 percent (936,309 trailers and containers) from 2008’s first 21 weeks.
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