WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Both intermodal and carload freight showed increases on U.S. railroads during the week ended December 22 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported December 27 on its website. But that increase was attributed largely to the fact that the comparison week from last year included Christmas, while this year's week did not.

Carload volume totaled 338,960 cars, up 9.5 percent from the comparable week last year, with loadings up 11.5 percent in the East and 7.9 percent in the West. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 170,082 trailers and containers, up 1.2 percent from last year. Total volume was estimated at 30.7 billion ton-miles, up 12.9 percent from last year.

Up sharply from the corresponding week last year were loadings of crushed stone, sand and gravel, 25.9 percent; motor vehicles and equipment, 19.3 percent; coal, 18.2 percent; and grain, 18.1 percent. On the downside, metallic ores were down 37.4 percent from last year; coke was off 14.3 percent; and nonmetallic minerals, declined 13.4 percent. In all, 12 of 19 commodity groups reported increases from the comparable week last year.

The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first 51 weeks of 2001: 17,027,842 carloads, down 0.7 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 8,831,394 trailers and containers, down 2.4 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.4689 trillion ton-miles, up 1.1 percent from last year's first 51 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.

Both intermodal and carload freight were also up on Canadian railroads during the week ended December 22. Intermodal traffic totaled 35,027 trailers and containers, up 2.1 percent from last year. Carload volume was 59,967 cars, up 1.5 percent from the comparable week last year.

Cumulative originations for the first 51 weeks of 2001 on the Canadian railroads totaled 3,160,092 carloads, down 1.9 percent from last year, and 1,808,815 trailers and containers, up 2.0 percent from last year.

Combined cumulative volume for the first 51 weeks of 2001 on 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 20,187,734 carloads, down 0.9 percent from last year and 10,640,209 trailers and containers, down 1.7 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.