Railroad Traffic Plunges

[Joanne98]

The American association of Railroads says it was a Down Week for Freight Traffic on U.S. Railroads.


WASHINGTON, January 29, 2009 — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to trend downward during the third week of 2009, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today. Carload freight totaled 267,634 cars, down 14.6 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 9.2 percent in the West and 22.1 percent in the East. Intermodal volume of 195,182 trailers or containers was off 7.1 percent from last year, with container volume falling 2.3 percent and trailer volume dipping 23.9 percent. Total volume was estimated at 28.4 billion ton-miles, off 13.4 percent from 2008.

Combined North American rail volume for the three weeks of 2009 on 14 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 1,015,857 carloads, down 17.3 percent from last year, and 738,351 trailers and containers, down 12.3 percent from last year.

Railroads reporting to AAR account for 89 percent of U.S. carload freight and 98 percent of rail intermodal volume. When the U.S. operations of Canadian railroads are included, the figures increase to 96 percent and 100 percent. The Canadian railroads reporting to the AAR account for 91 percent of Canadian rail traffic. Railroads provide more than 40 percent of U.S. intercity freight transportation, more than any other mode, and rail traffic figures are regarded as an important economic indicator.

Weekly Traffic of Major U.S. Railroads

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/02/railroad-traffic-plunges.html

[whistle]

1. That is a coincidental economic indicator of recession. When empty train

...cars have been sitting idle for months on sidings and in rail yards you will then know that we are deep in an economic depression.

[TomClash]

2. They have already in the West

[lib2DaBone]

3. I notice less traffic on the roads. Our government claims unemployment

is 7%.. but I know it has to be far greater than that. I would estimate upwards of 15% actual. No one (in my town) is working and it's getting worse.

What do we do when the whole thing grinds to a halt? Do we just turn out the lights and go home? I wish it was that easy.

[pa28]

4. Auto shipments down nearly 60% and metals down nearly 40%

If you are using this Index or the BDI to take the blood pressure of the economy it's pretty bracing to think about all the unused production capacity this represents and all the potential for further job losses.

BTW here is a web site with current rail traffic data http://railfax.transmatch.com/