AAR reports flat weekly rail traffic

For the week ending Oct. 17, 2015, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 554,696 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6% compared with the same week in 2014, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on Oct. 21, 2015.

Total carloads for the week were 279,547 carloads, down 5.9% compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 275,149 containers and trailers, up 1% compared to 2014.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They include: grain, up 16.7% to 25,372 carloads; miscellaneous carloads, up 15.1% to 9,223; and motor vehicles and parts, up 13.2% to 18,894. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 20.9% to 21,486 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 14% to 13,772 carloads; and coal, down 13.4% to 95,822 carloads.

For the first 41 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,441,306 carloads, down 4.4% from the same point last year; and 10,967,576 intermodal units, up 2.4% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 41 weeks of 2015 was 22,408,882 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 1.2% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Oct. 17, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 368,720 carloads, down 8.7% compared with the same week last year, and 347,075 intermodal units, up 1.5% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 715,795 carloads and intermodal units, down 4%. North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2015 was 29,179,927 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.9%compared with 2014.

Canadian railroads reported 72,928 carloads for the week, down 15.4%, and 58,859 intermodal units, up 6% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 41 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,648,347 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.4%.

Mexican railroads reported 16,245 carloads for the week, down 20% compared with the same week last year, and 13,067 intermodal units, down 5.4%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 41 weeks of 2015 was 1,122,698 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2% from the same point last year.