Carload traffic dips slightly, intermodal makes modest gains

For the week ending August 15, 2015, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 564, 502 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.7% compared with the same week last year, as carload traffic took a dip and intermodal made slight gains, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on August 19, 2015.

Total U.S. carloads for the week were 288,059 carloads, down 5.2% compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 276,443 containers and trailers, up 2.3% compared to 2014.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They included: miscellaneous carloads, up 16.8% to 9,949 carloads; grain, up 9.6% to 19,708 carloads and motor vehicles and parts, up 3.2% to 17,940 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 15.4% to 23,787 carloads; coal, down 10.4% to 106,339 carloads and petroleum and petroleum products, down 10.3% to 14,034 carloads.

For the first 32 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,883,173 carloads, down 4.3% from the same point last year; and 8,487,784 intermodal units, up 2.5% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 32 weeks of 2015 was 17,370,957 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 1.1% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending August 15, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 378,436 carloads, down 5.8% compared with the same week last year, and 352,114 intermodal units, up 2.3% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 730,550 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.1%. North American rail volume for the first 32 weeks of 2015 was 22,655,831 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.5% compared with 2014.

Canadian railroads reported 73,297 carloads for the week, down 10.2%, and 64,361 intermodal units, up 3.6% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 32 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,418,991 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.2%.

Mexican railroads reported 17,080 carloads for the week, up 5.6% compared with the same week last year, 11,310 intermodal units, down 3.3%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 32 weeks of 2015 was 865,883 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.2% from the same point last year.