Weekly North American pulp and paper rail freight down 1.6%

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

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2011 (RISI) - North American pulp and paper railroad freight in the latest week ending Sept. 24 was down 1.6% from a year earlier to 9,636 carloads, the Assn of American Railroads reported. Volume through 38 weeks of 2011 at 365,689 carloads was 4.2% higher than the same period of 2010.

US pulp and paper freight in the week was up 1.7%, Canada dropped 7.5% and Mexico rose 40%.

North American lumber and wood products freight in the week was 17.4% higher to 5,682 carloads and year-to-date was up 8.8% to 200,195 carloads,

Primary forest products freight was down 1.6% and 4.7% respectively.

Total North American rail freight was up 1.6% for the week and 2% higher year-to-date, AAR showed.