WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Freight traffic on U.S. railroads declined during the week ended February 9 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on its website.

Intermodal traffic totaled 170,236 trailers and containers, down 0.1 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight, which doesn’t include the intermodal data, totaled 314,181 cars, down 3.6 percent from last year, with volume down 0.7 percent in the West and 7.0 percent in the East. Total volume was estimated at 27.6 billion ton-miles, down 1.8 percent from last year’s fourth week.

Among the five commodities registering gains from last year were farm products other than grain, 28.1 percent; lumber and wood products, 7.8 percent; and motor vehicles and equipment, 6.5 percent. Fourteen commodities declined, including metallic ores, 28.6 percent; coke, 22.6 percent; and primary forest products, 18.8 percent. The AAR also reported the following cumulative totals for U.S. railroads during the first six weeks of 2002: 1,877,798 carloads, down 3.2 percent from last year; intermodal volume of 954,885 trailers and containers, down 3.4 percent; and total volume of an estimated 164.6 billion ton-miles, down 1.3 percent from last year’s first six 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.

Canadian railroads reported a picture similar to that in the U.S. during the week ended February 9, with both carload and intermodal freight registering declines. Intermodal traffic totaled 34,765 trailers and containers, down 1.9 percent from last year. Carload volume was 60,169 cars, down 5.2 percent from the comparable week last year.

Cumulative originations for the first six weeks of 2002 on the Canadian railroads totaled 346,957 carloads, down 7.0 percent from last year, and 193,275 trailers and containers, down 3.2 percent from last year.

Combined cumulative volume for the first six weeks of 2002 on 16 reporting U.S. and Canadian railroads totaled 2,224,755 carloads, down 3.8 percent from last year and 1,148,160 trailers and containers, down 3.4 percent from last year.

The AAR also reported that carload freight on the Mexican railroad Transportacion Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM) during the week ended February 9 totaled 7,825 cars originated or received from connecting lines, down 25.3 percent from last year. TFM reported intermodal volume of 2,277 trailers or containers, down 32.5 percent from the sixth week of 2001. For the first six weeks of 2002, TFM reported cumulative volume of 60,628 cars, down 3.5 percent from last year, and 17,628 trailers or containers, down 3.7 percent.

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