U.S. railroads post 5.5 percent traffic decline in week 31

U.S. railroad traffic declined 5.5 percent to 531,595 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Aug. 6 compared with traffic totals during the same week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Railroads logged 268,006 carloads, down 7 percent from the same week in 2015. Intermodal volume declined 3.9 percent to 263,589 containers and trailers during the week compared with a year ago.

Miscellaneous carloads and grain were the two carload commodity groups that posted increases this week. They rose 15.7 percent to 10,555 carloads, and 12.1 percent to 24,120 carloads, respectively.

Commodity groups that posted decreases in the week compared with a year ago included petroleum and petroleum products, down 24 percent to 10,508 carloads; coal, down 15.7 percent to 89,310 carloads; and forest products, down 7.2 percent to 10,008 carloads.

Canadian railroads logged 70,538 carloads for the week, down 2.8 percent, and 59,933 intermodal units, down 1 percent compared with the same week in 2015. Mexican railroads reported 14,443 carloads for the week, down 14.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,384 intermodal units, down 7.9 percent.

For the first 31 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads posted 15,567,582 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.4 percent; Canadian railroads reported 3,965,734 carloads, containers and trailers, down 7.4 percent; and Mexican railroads logged 833,859 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 1.6 percent from the same point last year.