Rail Traffic Falls in march

OTTAWA - May 27/09 - SNS -- Traffic handled by the Canadian railway industry dropped 13.8% from year earlier levels in march to total 19.8 million metric tons (MT), according to Statistics Canada.

The drop in tonnage was the result of decreased non-intermodal and intermodal freight loadings.

Compared with the same month last year, non-intermodal loadings fell 14.1% to 17.8 million MT. The decline occurred as a result of a drop in the majority of the commodities groups carried by the railways. Among the commodities groups with the largest decreases in tonnage were potash, coal, lumber, iron and steel (primary or semi-finished), and wood pulp.

Despite the overall drop in non-intermodal loadings, wheat, colza seeds (canola) and fresh, chilled or dried vegetables registered strong gains in tonnage loaded compared with March 2008.

Intermodal loadings stemming from containers and trailers loaded onto flat cars fell 11.7% from March 2008 to 2.0 million MT. Both equipment types (containers and trailers) saw decreased activity.

Rail freight traffic coming from the United States dropped to 2.4 million MT, down 15.4% from March 2008