Intermodal Traffic Hits Second Straight Weekly High
Weekly intermodal traffic hit a 2010 high for the second straight week, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.
Traffic for the week ended Saturday rose to 236,404 trailers and containers, up 24.2% from the same week last year and 2,367 units higher than the previous week.
Containers jumped 24.2% to 202,475 units, while trailers rose 12.4% to 33,929 units. The total level was 2.6% higher than the same week two years ago.
U.S. railroads originated 296,634 carloads, up 6.2% from the same week last year, but 11% off the comparable week two years ago, AAR said in its weekly report.
Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.
