Intermodal Rail Traffic Rises as Carloads Decline for Fourth Week
AARU.S. rail intermodal traffic rose 2.9% in the week ended May 16 compared with the same week last year as carload volume declined for the fourth consecutive week, the Association of American Railroads reported.
Railroads moved 280,107 intermodal trailers and containers, AAR announced May 20 in its weekly report. The rise follows a 3.8% increase the prior week.
Rail carload volume, which excludes intermodal units, dropped 10% year-over-year to 269,092 carloads. The last carload increase was the week of April 18, when volume rose 1.2%.
The only commodity group of the 10 tracked by AAR to post an increase in traffic for the week was motor vehicles and parts, at 1%.
Intermodal volume for 13 reporting North American railroads increased 5% to 355,252 trailers and containers.
Canadian railroads moved 64,098 intermodal units, a 5.3% rise. Mexican rail moved 11,047 units, a 4.1% increase from the same time last year.
Year-to-date, U.S. intermodal volume increased 1.9% to 4,959,620 units.
For the first 19 weeks of the year, carloads declined 2.2% to 5,312,651, from the same time last year, according to AAR.
