AAR reports flat weekly rail traffic

For the week ending August 22, 2015, total U.S. rail traffic was 567,943 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.4% compared with the same week in 2014, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on August 26, 2015.

Total carloads for the week were 288,971 carloads, down 3.7% compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 278,972 containers and trailers, up 5% compared to 2014.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week last year. They included: miscellaneous carloads, up 16.4% to 10,204 carloads; farm products, up 7.1% to 16,670 carloads and motor vehicles and parts, up 4.8% to 18,077 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 15.1% to 22,970 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 12.1% to 14,420 carloads; and coal, down 6.4% to 107,273 carloads.

For the first 33 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,172,144 carloads, down 4.3% from the same point last year; and 8,766,756 intermodal units, up 2.6% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 33 weeks of 2015 was 17,938,900 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 1% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Aug. 22, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 380,676 carloads, down 3.7% compared with the same week last year, and 354,498 intermodal units, up 4.7% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 735,174 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.2%. North American rail volume for the first 33 weeks of 2015 was 23,391,005 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.5% compared with 2014.

Canadian railroads reported 75,307 carloads for the week, down 4.7%, and 63,884 intermodal units, up 4.3% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 33 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,558,182 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.2%.

Mexican railroads reported 16,398 carloads for the week, up 2.1% compared with the same week last year, 11,642 intermodal units, down 0.9%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 33 weeks of 2015 was 893,923 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.2% from the same point last year.