Intermodal Traffic Rises 3.6% for Week

Image
Bruce Harmon/Trans Pixs

U.S. intermodal traffic rose 3.6% last week from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Container traffic for the week ended Saturday rose 5.5% to 217,643 units, while trailers fell 8.7% to 29,581 units.

Railroad carloads excluding intermodal dropped 2.1% to 293,916 units, AAR 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.