According to the AAR, intermodal traffic was up 0.5 percent in March 2013 compared with March 2012. This is the smallest year-over-year monthly gain for intermodal since August 2011. Carload traffic, on the other hand, was down 0.5 percent in March compared to the same month last year. The decline in March is the lowest year-over-year monthly dip in carloads since January 2012.
For the week ending March 30, 2013 both U.S. carload and intermodal traffic were down. Carload traffic was down 1.9 percent compared to last year, and intermodal was down 3.8 percent. Total U.S. rail traffic was down 2.8 percent for the week compared to the same week in 2012.
For the first 13 weeks of 2013 total U.S. rail traffic was up 0.7 percent from the same point last year. Carload traffic for the 13 week period was down 3 percent, while intermodal traffic was up 5.3 percent compared to last year.
Canadian carload traffic for the week ending March 30, 2013 was up 0.5 percent, however intermodal traffic was down 10.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Both Canadian carload and intermodal traffic were up for the first 13 weeks of 2013. Carload traffic was up 2.2 percent and intermodal traffic was up 4.4 percent from the same point in 2012.
Mexican carload and intermodal traffic were both down for the week. Carload traffic was down 6.3 percent compared to the same week last year, and intermodal traffic was down 13.9 percent. For the first 13 weeks of 2013 Mexican carload traffic was up 8.4 percent and intermodal traffic was up 0.9 percent from the same point last year.
Total North American carload traffic for the first 13 weeks of 2013 was down 1.5 percent compared with the same point in 2012, while intermodal traffic was up 5 percent.
