U.S. rail traffic dipped 1.7 percent in week 42

U.S. rail traffic slipped 1.7 percent to 544,092 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Oct. 22, with the traffic total lifted somewhat by an uptick in intermodal, according to traffic data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Total carloads for the week were 268,551 units, down 5.8 percent compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 275,541 containers and trailers, up 2.6 percent, the AAR reported yesterday.

Commodity groups that posted increases for the week compared with the 2015 period were miscellaneous carloads, up 16.5 percent to 10,852 carloads; grain, up 4.6 percent to 26,442 carloads; and nonmetallic minerals, up 0.1 percent to 37,324 carloads.

Commodities that logged decreases included petroleum and petroleum products, down 24.4 percent to 10,037 carloads; metallic ores and metals, down 12.3 percent to 19,115 carloads; and coal, down 10.5 percent to 90,272 carloads.

Canadian railroads reported 78,461 carloads for the week, up 5.5 percent, and 61,137 intermodal units, down 0.2 percent compared with the same week in 2015. Mexican railroads reported 14,706 carloads for the week, down 8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,394 intermodal units, up 5.7 percent.

For the first 42 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported total combined traffic of 21,418,645 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6.7 percent compared with the same period in 2015.

Canadian railroads' cumulative rail traffic volume during the 42-week period declined 5.2 percent to 5,485,249 carloads, containers and trailers compared with a year ago.

Mexican railroads' cumulative rail traffic volume during the first 42-weeks of 2016 fell 2.5 percent to 1,132,225 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers compared with the same period last year.