The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 4, 2017.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 541,474 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.3 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending February 4 were 269,994 carloads, up 11.7 percent compared with the same week in 2016, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 271,480 containers and trailers, up 3.3 percent compared to 2016.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2016. They included coal, up 25.7 percent to 92,222 carloads; grain, up 15.7 percent to 25,741 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 12.7 percent to 10,032 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 were petroleum and petroleum products, down 15.8 percent to 10,088 carloads; forest products, down 4.3 percent to 10,045 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2.8 percent to 18,681 carloads.
For the first 5 weeks of 2017, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,266,567 carloads, up 4.7 percent from the same point last year; and 1,292,548 intermodal units, down 0.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 5 weeks of 2017 was 2,559,115 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.9 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending February 4, 2017, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 362,517 carloads, up 10.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 346,049 intermodal units, up 3.5 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 708,566 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first 5 weeks of 2017 was 3,371,639 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with 2016.
Canadian railroads reported 80,535 carloads for the week, up 14.6 percent, and 65,563 intermodal units, up 6.3 percent compared with the same week in 2016. For the first 5 weeks of 2017, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 690,905 carloads, containers and trailers, up 6.9 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 11,988 carloads for the week, down 21 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,006 intermodal units, down 9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 5 weeks of 2017 was 121,619 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 9.7 percent from the same point last year.
