Intermodal Traffic Rises for Week
Intermodal rail traffic rose last week to its highest level since November 2008, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.
Traffic totaled 225,111 trailers and containers, up 35.5% from a year ago and 10.3% from the same week in 2008, though this year’s comparable week did not include Memorial Day.
Containers rose 37.5% from a year ago to 191,957 units, while trailers gained 25.2% to 33,154 for the week ended Saturday, AAR said.
Freight rail traffic, which excludes intermodal traffic, rose 21.9% to 286,665 carloads, the group 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.
