The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported a decline in rail traffic for the week ending July 10, 2010, with U.S. railroads originating 252,963 carloads, down 3.5 percent compared with the same week in 2009 and down 20.8 percent from 2008. The July 4 Independence Day holiday did not affect comparison weeks in 2008 or 2009. In order to offer a complete picture of the progress in rail traffic, AAR reports 2010 weekly rail traffic with comparison weeks in both 2009 and 2008.

Weekly intermodal traffic totaled 192,954 trailers and containers, up 9.1 percent from a year ago and down 16.8 percent compared with 2008. Compared with the same week in 2009, container volume increased 11.4 percent, and trailer volume sank 2.7 percent. Compared with the same week in 2008, container volume fell 10.2 percent and trailer volume dropped 41.9 percent.

For the first 27 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,591,926 carloads, up 7.4 percent from 2009, but down 13.2 percent from 2008, and 5,627,846 trailers or containers, up 12.8 percent from 2009, but down 6.6 percent from 2008.

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