Total U.S. rail traffic up 8.6% for week ending July 7

Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 485,193 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.6% compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending July 7 were 240,514 carloads, up 5.4% compared with the same week in 2017, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 244,679 containers and trailers, up 12% compared to 2017.

Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2017. They included grain, up 3,207 carloads, to 21,299; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,341 carloads, to 35,270; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,808 carloads, to 10,257.

For the first 27 weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,987,928 carloads, up 1.4% from the same point last year; and 7,398,236 intermodal units, up 6.2% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 27 weeks of 2018 was14,386,164 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.8% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending July 7, 2018, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 338,186 carloads, up 5.9% compared with the same week last year, and 327,254 intermodal units, up 9.8% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 665,440 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.8%. North American rail volume for the first 27 weeks of 2018 was 19,399,124 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.5% compared with 2017.

Canadian railroads reported 77,607 carloads for the week, up 9.4%, and 64,497 intermodal units, up 2.7% compared with the same week in 2017. For the first 27 weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,982,386 carloads, containers and trailers, up 3.7%.

Mexican railroads reported 20,065 carloads for the week, down 0.6% compared with the same week last year, and 18,078 intermodal units, up 8.6%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 27 weeks of 2018 was 1,030,574 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.

For more information, visit: www.aar.org

16th July 2018