Weekly Rail Traffic Up Slightly, Coal & Petroleum Shipments See Big Decline

U.S. weekly rail traffic grew 0.4% to 567,943 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Aug. 22 compared to a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Total carloads for the week ending Aug. 22, 2015 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 in 2014. They included: miscellaneous carloads, up 16.45% 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%t 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.

To view AAR weekly railroad traffic reports, click here.