Petroleum pumped but carloads weaker

Petroleum and related products were one of the few gainers as the Association of American Railroads reported U.S. weekly rail traffic was 508,239 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.9% from the same week a year ago.

Total volume for the week ending Jan. 20 was 241,258 carloads, down 7.6%, while intermodal volume was 266,981 containers and trailers, up 1.8%.

Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2017. They were forest products, 4.9%, and petroleum and petroleum products, 3.3%. Decreases were seen in coal, 9.0%; nonmetallic minerals, 12.9%, and motor vehicles and parts, 15.9%.

For the first three weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 691,255 carloads, down 5.7%, and 744,783 intermodal units, up 1.2% on-year. Total combined U.S. traffic was 1,436,038 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 2.2%.

North American rail volume for the week on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 339,190 carloads, down 6.5% compared with the same week a year ago, and 350,744 intermodal units, up 1.8%. Total combined traffic was 689,934 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.5%. Volume was 1,943,895 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.7%.

Canadian railroads reported 76,447 carloads for the week, down 4.1%, and 65,369 intermodal units, up 2.9%. For the first three weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 399,694 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.1%.

Mexican railroads reported 21,485 carloads for the week, down 1.9%, and 18,394 intermodal units, down 1.8%. Cumulative volume for the first three weeks of this year was 108,163 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 0.4%.