Rail Traffic Gains; Intermodal Sets Another Weekly Record

verall rail freight traffic rose during the week ended Oct. 22 and intermodal volume set a weekly record, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Intermodal traffic topped 250,000 units and total rail volume broke 35 billion ton-miles for the first time ever, AAR said in its weekly report.

Total intermodal volume rose 7.9% over the same week last year to 250,152 units. Rail intermodal trailer volume rose 2.7% to 64,374 units and containers jumped 9.8% to 185,778, the group said.

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.