WASHINGTON -- Freight traffic on U.S. railroads edged downward during the week ended October 27, in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported November 1 on its website.

Carload volume totaled 348,843 cars, down 0.8 percent from the comparable week last year, with loadings up 3.2 percent in the West but down 5.5 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 186,546 trailers and containers, down 5.9 percent from last year. Total volume was estimated at 30.9 billion ton-miles, down 0.6 percent from last year.

Loadings of metallic ores rose 9.4 percent from the comparable week last year, while non-metallic minerals gained 7.7 percent and crushed stone, gravel and sand were up 4.0 percent. Those increases were more than offset by double digit drops in loadings of motor vehicles and equipment (down 13.2 percent), primary forest products (off 11.4 percent) and waste and scrap materials (down 10.2 percent). Overall, twelve of 19 commodities were down from the comparable week last year.

The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 43 weeks of 2001: 14,345,095 carloads, down 1.3 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 7,422,132 trailers and containers, down 2.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.2291 trillion ton-miles, up 0.6 percent from last year's first 43 weeks.

Railroads reporting to AAR account for 90 percent of U.S. carload freight and 97 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 99 percent. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of the nation's intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.

Intermodal traffic was up, but carload freight was down on Canadian railroads during the week ended October 27. Intermodal traffic totaled 39,290 trailers and containers, up 5.6 percent from last year. Carload volume was 64,736 cars, down 5.6 percent from the comparable week last year.

Cumulative originations for the first 43 weeks of 2001 on the Canadian railroads totaled 2,656,351 carloads, down 2.2 percent from last year, and 1,518,410 trailers and containers, up 2.1 percent from last year.

Combined cumulative volume for the first 43 weeks of 2001 on 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 17,001,446 carloads, down 1.4 percent from last year and 8,940,542 trailers and containers, down 2.1 percent from last year.

AAR is the world's leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers.