AAR traffic report: Carloads, intermodal units continued to climb in Week 16

During the week ending April 19, U.S. railroads originated 290,713 carloads, up 5.1 percent, and 259,113 intermodal units, up 7.6 percent compared with volumes during the same 2013 period, according to Association of American Railroads data. Total combined weekly traffic on U.S. railroads rose 6.3 percent to 549,825 units.

Six of 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, including grain at 36.9 percent, and petroleum and petroleum products at 12.4 percent. Commodity groups that posted volume decreases were led by metallic ores and metals at 8.9 percent.

For 2014's first 16 weeks, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,484,785 carloads, up 1.8 percent year over year, and 3,987,578 intermodal units, up 5 percent. Total combined year-to-date traffic on U.S. railroads was 8,472,363 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3 percent.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported weekly carloads totaling 81,698, down 2.8 percent, and 59,157 intermodal units, up 6.6 percent. Mexican railroads' weekly carloads totaled 13,166, down 11.9 percent, and 8,144 intermodal units, down 15.7 percent.

During 2014's first 16 weeks, combined carloads handled by 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads remained flat at 5,898,862, while trailers and containers rose 4.5 percent year over year to 4,984,696.