NORTH American intermodal rail freight for the week ending December 23 was up 13.2 per cent year on year to 732,558 units, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

North American rail volume for the first 51 weeks of 2017 was 35,960,443 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9 per cent compared with 2016.

Canadian railways reported 83,911 carloads for the week, up 9.7 per cent, and 68,925 intermodal units, up 23.3 per cent compared with the same week in 2016. 

For the first 51 weeks of 2017, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,460,974 carloads, containers and trailers, up 10.9 per cent.

Mexican railways reported 17,615 carloads for the week, up 16.9 per cent year on year, and 10,541 intermodal units, up 6.4 per cent. 

Cumulative volume on Mexican railways for the first 51 weeks of 2017 was 1,406,541 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.9 per cent from the same point last year.