The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 6, 2017.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 515,305 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.6 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending May 6 were 251,182 carloads, up 8 percent compared with the same week in 2016, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 264,123 containers and trailers, up 1.6 percent compared to 2016.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2016. They included grain, up 22.2 percent to 21,848 carloads; coal, up 17.7 percent to 73,386 carloads; and metallic ores and metals, up 15.6 percent to 23,743 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 18.5 percent to 9,247 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 6.4 percent to 17,160 carloads; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 1.3 percent to 15,723 carloads.
For the first 18 weeks of 2017, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,598,584 carloads, up 6.4 percent from the same point last year; and 4,703,804 intermodal units, up 1.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 18 weeks of 2017 was 9,302,388 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 6, 2017, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 346,563 carloads, up 10.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 340,821 intermodal units, up 3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 687,384 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.5 percent. North American rail volume for the first 18 weeks of 2017 was 12,325,029 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9 percent compared with 2016.
Canadian railroads reported 81,374 carloads for the week, up 23 percent, and 67,137 intermodal units, up 12.2 percent compared with the same week in 2016. For the first 18 weeks of 2017, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,552,063 carloads, containers and trailers, up 10.2 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 14,007 carloads for the week, down 11.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,561 intermodal units, down 13.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 18 weeks of 2017 was 470,578 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.2 percent from the same point last year.
