U.S., Canadian railroads post traffic increase in week 46

U.S. rail traffic rose 2.8 percent to 547,804 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers during the week ending Nov. 19 compared with the same week a year ago, according to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Total carloads for U.S. railroads inched up 1.3 percent to 271,420 units, while total intermodal containers and trailers rose 4.4 percent to 276,384 containers and trailers compared with the same week in 2015.

In Canada, total traffic jumped 9.8 percent to 145,030 carloads and intermodal units for the week compared with a year ago. Total carloads soared 10.8 percent to 81,944 units, while intermodal traffic jumped 8.4 percent to 63,086 containers and trailers.

Mexican railroads' total traffic slipped 1.1 percent to 26,865 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers during the week compared with a year ago. The railroads' carload activity fell 3.8 percent to 15,167 units, but intermodal activity rose 2.6 percent to 11,698 units.

Combined, North American railroads' traffic volume is down 5.6 percent to 30,888,422 carloads and intermodal units during the first 46 weeks of 2016 compared with the same period last year. U.S. railroads' total traffic is down 6.1 percent, Canadian railroads' total traffic is down 4.4 percent and Mexican railroads' total traffic is down 2.1 percent so far this year compared with traffic totals for the same period in 2015.