Intermodal Rail Volume Rises as Carloads Drop Almost 8%
AARU.S. rail intermodal traffic rose 3.8% in the week ended May 9 compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported.
Railroads moved 277,601 intermodal trailers and containers, AAR announced April 22 in its weekly report. The rise follows a 5.7% increase the prior week.
Rail carload volume, which excludes intermodal units, dropped 7.9% year-over-year to 273,433 carloads.
Four of the 10 commodity groups that AAR tracks improved over last year. Motor vehicles and parts had the highest increase with a 8.9% rise, followed by petroleum and petroleum products at 6.1%.
Intermodal volume for 13 reporting North American railroads increased 3.2% to 350,845 trailers and containers.
Canadian railroads moved 62,748 intermodal units, a 2.7% rise. Mexican rail moved 10,496 units, a 9.8% decline from the same time last year.
Year-to-date, U.S. intermodal volume increased 1.7% to 4.7 million units.
