Weekly carloads gain, no thanks to coal

Total U.S. rail traffic was 548,264 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1% for the week ending Oct. 14 compared with the same week in 2016, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Total volume was 264,161 carloads, up 0.5%, while U.S. intermodal volume was 284,103 containers and trailers, up 5.5%.

Four of 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase on-year. compared with the same week in 2016. Metallic ores and metals led all gainers at 18.3%, followed by nonmetallic minerals, 14.2%; forest products, 13.9%, and chemicals, 6.2%.

Commodities off from a year ago included grain, 19.7%; petroleum and petroleum products, 14.6%, and motor vehicles and parts, 5.1%. Coal shipments slid by 1.6%.

For the first 41 weeks of 2017 U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,640,157 carloads, up 3.7% from the same period a year ago, and 11,002,145 intermodal units, up 3.7%. Total combined traffic was 21,642,302 carloads and intermodal units, also ahead 3.7%.

North American rail volume for the week ending Oct. 14 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 360,315 carloads, up 0.2%, and 368,404 intermodal units, up 8%. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 728,719 carloads and intermodal units, up 4%. Volume was 28,708,109 carloads and intermodal units, up 5% on-year.