U.S. rail traffic up 3.8% in August and 1.9% for the first eight months

U.S. rail traffic up 3.8% in August and 1.9% for the first eight months


U.S. railroads originated 1,386,026 carloads in August 2018, up 3.8 percent, compared with August 2017. U.S. railroads also originated 1,442,920 containers and trailers in August 2018, up 5.1 percent, or 70,198 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in August 2018 were 2,828,946, up 4.5 percent, or 120,533 carloads and intermodal units from August 2017.

In August 2018, 16 of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw carload gains compared with August 2017. These included: grain, up 18,989 carloads or 19.8 percent; petroleum & petroleum products, up 12,780 carloads or 28.8 percent; and chemicals, up 11,911 carloads or 7.8 percent. Commodities that saw declines in August 2018 from August 2017 included: coal, down 15,410 carloads or 3.2 percent; nonmetallic minerals, down 4,034 carloads or 16.6 percent; and metallic ores, down 1,061 carloads or 3.2 percent.

“August was a very good month for U.S. rail traffic with 16 of the 20 carload commodity categories the AAR tracks registering higher carloads in August 2018 than in August 2017, the most since January 2015,” said AAR Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics John Gray. “The U.S. economy has been improving since the 2016 slow down and freight railroads are committed to maintaining the economic momentum by moving goods safely and efficiently for their customers.  Still a concern, however, trade policy discussions that add a level of uncertainty to future economic growth.”

Excluding coal, carloads were up 65,745 carloads, or 7.6 percent, in August 2018 from August 2017. Excluding coal and grain, carloads were up 46,756 carloads, or 6.1 percent.

Total U.S. carload traffic for the first eight months of 2018 was 9,181,733 carloads, up 1.9 percent, or 172,712 carloads, from the same period last year; and 9,704,619 intermodal units, up 6 percent, or 547,613 containers and trailers, from last year.

Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 35 weeks of 2018 was 18,886,352 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4 percent compared to last year.

For more information visit: www.aar.org

10th September 2018

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