Intermodal Rail Traffic Rises as Carloads Continue Decline
AARU.S. rail intermodal traffic rose for the week ended June 13 as carloads declined for the 11th consecutive week, the Association of American Railroads reported.
Intermodal traffic increased 1.6% from the same week last year to 276,907 intermodal trailers and containers, AAR announced June 24 in its weekly report.
The rise follows a 4.9% increase the prior week. Rail carload volume, which excludes intermodal units, dropped 6.1% year-over-year to 271,098 carloads.
The last carload increase was the week of April 18, when volume rose 1.2%.
Four of the 10 commodity groups tracked by AAR posted an increase in traffic for the week, led by miscellaneous products at 15.7%.
Intermodal volume for 13 reporting North American railroads increased 2.3% to 351,477 trailers and containers.
North American carload volume, excluding intermodal, declined 6.9% to 368,270.
Canadian railroads moved 62,761 intermodal units, a 5.1% rise. Mexican rail moved 11,809 units, a 5.1% increase from the same time last year.
Year to date, U.S. intermodal volume increased 2.2% to 6.3 million units.
For the first 24 weeks of the year, carloads declined 3.6% to 6.7 million from the same time last year, according to AAR.
