Intermodal Traffic Rises 1.4% for Week

Image
Tom Biery/Trans Pixs

U.S. rail intermodal traffic rose 1.4% to 235,641 units last week over the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.

Year-to-date, intermodal traffic rose 6.2% to 2.9 million units over the same period last year.

Railroad carloads rose 0.2% to 278,738 units for the week, according to AAR.

Four of the 10 carload groups posted increases, compared with the same week last year, led by a 57% jump in petroleum products.



Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-value merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for shorter distances at either end of the trip.