Intermodal Freight Rail Traffic in Canada and The United States Picked up Steam in 2013

Intermodal freight rail traffic in Canada and the United States picked up steam in 2013, according to newly figures released by the Association of American Railroads.

Canadian railroads reported a total volume of 4,083,936 carloads in 2013, up 1.8 percent from 2012 and 2,790,389 intermodal units, up 4.5 percent from last year, according to truckinginfo.

In the U.S. there were 12,831,692 intermodal units moved, up 4.6 percent from 2012, while U.S. railroads reported 14,608,403 carloads, down 0.5 percent during the same time.

Combined North American rail volume for 2013 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 19,480,280 carloads, up 0.2 percent compared with last year and 16,140,885 intermodal trailers and containers, up 4.4 percent compared with 2012.