Intermodal Rail Traffic Rises in August
AARU.S. rail intermodal traffic increased 3.6% in August compared with the same month the prior year, the Association of American Railroads reported.
Railroads moved 1.1 million intermodal trailers and containers, 38,617 more units than the same month last year, AAR said Sept. 2 in its weekly report.
“August had essentially the same rail traffic pattern as the previous few months: a healthy increase for intermodal, a big decline for coal, continued weakness in a variety of energy-related commodities and strength in some other carload segments,” John Gray, AAR senior vice president of policy and economics, said in a statement.
Rail carload volume, which excludes intermodal units, declined 4.6% or 56,104 units in August year-over-year to 1.15 million carloads.
Six of the 20 commodity groups AAR tracks increased over last year, led by the miscellaneous category at 7.5%.
Intermodal traffic for the week ended Aug. 29 rose 4% to 284,531 units, the highest level this year, compared with the same week last year, according to AAR.
Rail carload volume, which excludes intermodal units, declined 5% year-over-year to 290,792 carloads.
Three of the 10 commodity groups AAR tracks increased over last year for the week, led by the motor vehicles and parts category at 11.9%.
Year-to-date intermodal traffic increased 2.6% to 9.05 million units from the same period last year, according to AAR.
“Railroads are a derived-demand industry, meaning that demand for rail service is a function of demand downstream for the products railroads haul. We're optimistic that the economy will continue to grow. Demand for rail service should continue to grow with it,” Gray said.
