North American freight traffic slumps

Written by Douglas John Bowen
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Neither U.S. freight carload traffic nor U.S. intermodal volume posted gains in the week ending February 21, 2015, the Association of American Railroads reported Wednesday, Feb. 25 — while Canada and Mexico also traffic also slipped.

U.S. freight carload traffic for the week ending Feb. 21 declined 7.8% measured against the comparable week in 2014, while U.S. intermodal volume extended its recent losing streak, down 15.7%. Total U.S. weekly rail traffic declined 11.5% compared with the same week last year.

Grain was the lone commodity group AAR measures on a weekly basis that posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014, up 4%. Among the declining groups, motor vehicles and parts, fell 12.2%, coal fell 12%, and metallic ores and metals declined 9.2%.

Canadian freight carload traffic for the week ending Feb. 21 retreated as well relative to 2014, down 1.2%, while Canadian intermodal volume dropped 4.7%. Mexican freight carload traffic fell as well, though modestly, down 0.5%, while Mexican intermodal volume slipped 1.9%

Thus, combined North American freight carload traffic for the week ending Feb. 21, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was down 6.2% compared with the same week last year, while combined North American intermodal volume fared even less well be percentage, down 13.3%.

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