The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Mar. 26, 2016. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 470,271 carloads and intermodal units, down 16.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending Mar. 26 were 232,348 carloads, down 18.5 percent compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 237,923 containers and trailers, down 14.5 percent compared to 2015.

Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They were miscellaneous carloads, up 18.5 percent to 9,629 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, up 0.1 percent to 18,676 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included coal, down 37.8 percent to 66,281 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 22.1 percent to 10,738 carloads; and grain, down 16.1 percent to 19,144 carloads.

For the first 12 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,905,113 carloads, down 13.7 percent from the same point last year; and 3,085,831 intermodal units, up 2.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 12 weeks of 2016 was 5,990,944 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6.2 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Mar. 26, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 316,443 carloads, down 17.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 296,384 intermodal units, down 15.9 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 612,827 carloads and intermodal units, down 16.9 percent. North American rail volume for the first 12 weeks of 2016 was 7,848,116 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.8 percent compared with 2015.

Canadian railroads reported 70,891 carloads for the week, down 13.8 percent, and 51,488 intermodal units, down 18.7 percent compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 12 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,540,562 carloads, containers and trailers, down 5.3 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,204 carloads for the week, down 25.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 6,973 intermodal units, down 34.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 12 weeks of 2016 was 316,610 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 1.6 percent from the same point last year.