Intermodal Traffic Rises for Week

Image
Bruce Harmon/Trans Pixs

Intermodal traffic increased for the week ended Saturday compared with a year ago, while rail traffic fell, the Association of American Railroads said.

Intermodal traffic rose 0.8%, led by a 2% rise in container traffic to 193,087 containers or trailers. Trailer traffic fell 3.5% to 53,637, AAR said.

Overall rail traffic fell 0.1% for the week, to 336,457 carloads from a year ago, the group said in its weekly report.

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.