US rail box loads hit 2010 highs, Canada does even better

US RAILWAYS have reported that July volumes hit record monthly highs for 2010 highs for both general car loads intermodal throughput.

In the week ending July 31, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported its members handled 300,292 carloads, up 9.4 per cent, and 232,895 containers and trailers, an increase of 20.2 per cent compared with the same week last year.

Intermodal was up one per cent in July over mid-June volumes, said Robert Baird & Co analysts in their weekly Rail Flash report, but added that this rise reflected typical seasonal fluctuations.

"We expect both domestic and international growth to continue given ongoing domestic truckload conversion and economic growth," said the analysts' report.

Canada's railways were up 17.3 per cent to 73,858 carloads, and increased 50,967 containers and trailers year on year, a rise of 21.6 per cent. For the week ending July 31, Mexican railways handled 14,282 carloads, up 23.4 per cent and 6,848 intermodal loads, a rise of 23.1 per cent.

Through 2010's first 30 weeks, 13 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railways moved 11 million carloads, up 10.2 per cent, and 7.9 million containers and trailers, up 14.1 per cent compared with volumes from the same 2009 period.
(Source:www.schednet.com)