Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 557,812 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.3% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads were 287,349 carloads, down 2.6% compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 270,463 containers and trailers, up 2.3% compared to 2014.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2014. They were: grain, up 13.9% to 23,741 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, up 5.5% to 15,317 carloads; and chemicals, up 2% to 31,342 carloads. Commodity groups that saw decreases during this one week included: coal, down 8.2% to 105,691 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, down 3.9% to 35,794 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, down 3.6% to 17,814 carloads.
For the first 14 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,932,325 carloads, down 0.4% from the same point last year; and 3,560,188 intermodal units, up 0.5% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 14 weeks of 2015 was 7,492,513 carloads and intermodal units, which was flat compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending April 11, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 384,937 carloads, down 1.3% compared with the same week last year, and 342,504 intermodal units, up 2.8% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 727,441 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6%. North American rail volume for the first 14 weeks of 2015 was 9,770,932 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5% compared with 2014.
Canadian railroads reported 80,782 carloads for the week, up 2.4%, and 61,964 intermodal units, up 5.1% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 14 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,909,559 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.6%.
Mexican railroads reported 16,806 carloads for the week, up 6.2% compared with the same week last year, and 10,077 intermodal units, up 1.7%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 14 weeks of 2015 was 368,860 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.2% from the same point last year.