Intermodal Traffic Rises 5.6% for Week

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Bruce Harmon/Trans Pixs
U.S. intermodal traffic rose 6.8% last week from the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Container traffic for the week ended Saturday rose 9.6% to 217,444 units, while trailers fell 10.7% to 28,471 units.

Railroad carloads excluding intermodal rose 1.7% to 286,156 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.