Weekly North American pulp and paper freight drops 5.9%; year-to-date is up 4.5%

By James McLaren, Senior Editor, PPI Pulp & Paper Week, RISI

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2011 (RISI) - Pulp and paper rail freight in the latest week ending Sept. 10 was down 5.9% from a year ago to 9,437 carloads, the Assn of American Railroads reported. Volume through 36 weeks of 2011 at 346,705 carloads was 4.5% above year earlier levels.

Weekly pulp and paper freight in the US was down 4.5%, Canada dropped 8.6% and Mexico surged 23.3% from a year ago.

Year-to-date volumes were up 5.8% in the US, up 2.4% in Canada and 15.1% higher in Mexico.

Combined North American lumber and wood products freight for the week ending Sept. 10 at 4,699 carloads rose 19.6% from last year and through 36 weeks at 188,795 carloads was 8.3% higher.

Primary forest products volumes were up 6.8% in the week and down 4.8% year-to-date, AAR showed.

Total North American railroad freight was 1% higher in the week and 2.1% higher year-to-date.