Rail traffic continues to show signs of growth

For the week ending Sept. 2, 2015, total U.S. rail traffic was 567,206 carloads and intermodal units, up 8% compared with the same week in 2014, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on Sept. 9, 2015.

Total carloads for the week ending were 287,339 carloads, down 0.4% compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 279,867 containers and trailers, up 17% compared to 2014.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They included: motor vehicles and parts, up 19.5% to 18,534 carloads; miscellaneous carloads, up 18.3% to 9,213 carloads and grain, up 9.6% to 18,780 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 17.3% to 21,145 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 9.1% to 14,240 carloads; and coal, down 2.8% to 108,208 carloads.

For the first 35 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,750,275 carloads, down 4.1% from the same point last year; and 9,331,154 intermodal units, up 3% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 35 weeks of 2015 was 19,081,429 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 0.8% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Sept. 5, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 378,598 carloads, down 0.8% compared with the same week last year, and 355,297 intermodal units, up 15.7% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 733,895 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.6%. North American rail volume for the first 35 weeks of 2015 was 24,868,191 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.3% compared with 2014.

Canadian railroads reported 74,949 carloads for the week, down 6.9%, and 64,015 intermodal units, up 14.7% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 35 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,836,464 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.9%.

Mexican railroads reported 16,310 carloads for the week, up 9.6% compared with the same week last year, and 11,415 intermodal units, down 5.2%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 35 weeks of 2015 was 950,298 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.2% from the same point last year.