Intermodal volume hits 19-month high

Intermodal volume hits 19-month high    Intermodal traffic continued to surge with 227,985 units moved during the week ended June 19, the American Association of Railroads reported.
   The figure is a 21.2 percent increase from the same week in 2009, which is not considered a normal year because of the recession, but is down 0.2 percent from 2008.
   It is the highest volume of intermodal units transported on the rails since early November 2008.
   Container volume increased 23.2 percent while trailer volume rose 10.5 percent compared to the same week in 2009. Container volume was up 8.8 percent while trailer volume fell 32.8 percent versus the same period in 2008.
   Rail carloads last week also posted gains over the comparable week in 2009. U.S. railroads originated 284,913 carloads during the week ended June 19, up 9.2 percent from the comparable week in 2009, but down 10 percent from 2008, the rail industry group said.
   Carload volume on eastern railroads was up 12.2 percent from last year, but down 15.8 percent from 2008. In the West, carload volume was up 7.2 percent from last year but down 5.6 percent from two years ago.
   For the first 24 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6.77 million carloads, up 7.2 percent from 2009, but down 13.4 percent from 2008; 4.98 million trailers or containers, up 11.7 percent from 2009, but down 7.3 percent from 2008.