U.S. rail traffic up 5.8% for week ending May 12

U.S. railroads posted a 5.8% increase in carloads and intermodal traffic for the week ending May 12, 2018 compared with the same week in 2017, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Total carloads for the week was 267,196, up 5.3% compared with the same week in 2017, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 282,833 containers and trailers, up 6.3% compared to 2017.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2017. They included coal, up 7,347 carloads, to 81,523; nonmetallic minerals, up 5,714 carloads, to 42,383; and chemicals, up 1,128 carloads, to 32,431. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2017 were motor vehicles and parts, down 1,440 carloads, to 16,915; miscellaneous carloads, down 657 carloads, to 9,189; and metallic ores and metals, down 326 carloads, to 23,875.

For the first 19 weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,879,984 carloads, up 1.1% from the same point last year; and 5,158,588 intermodal units, up 5.9% from last year.

Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 19 weeks of 2018 was 10,038,572 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.5% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending May 12, 2018, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 372,423 carloads, up 5.3% compared with the same week last year, and 371,131 intermodal units, up 5.2% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 743,554 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.2%. North American rail volume for the first 19 weeks of 2018 was 13,535,733 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.2% compared with 2017.

Canadian railroads reported 84,175 carloads for the week, up 7.9%, and 70,827 intermodal units, up 4.2% compared with the same week in 2017. For the first 19 weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,777,892 carloads, containers and trailers, up 3.1%.

Mexican railroads reported 21,052 carloads for the week and 17,471 intermodal units. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 19 weeks of 2018 was 719,269 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.

21st May 2018