Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 556,432 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.2% compared with the same week last year. U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280, 016 containers and trailers, while total carloads were 276, 415, down 4.9% compared to 2014. This is the first time container and traffic exceeded carloads for a one-week period, AAR said.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2014. They were: motor vehicles and parts, up 7.2% to 18,008 carloads; miscellaneous carloads, up 6.3% to 8,019 carloads; and chemicals, up 2.9% to 31,296 carloads. Commodity groups that saw decreases during this one week included: grain, down 15.8% to 18,166 carloads; coal, down 12.6% to 99,482 carloads; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 1.3% to 15,068 carloads.
For the first 15 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,208,741 carloads, down 0.7% from the same point last year; and 3,840,204 intermodal units, up % from last year. Total combines U.S. traffic for the first 15 weeks of 2015 was 8,048,945 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.1% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending April 18, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 374,892 carloads, down 3.3% compared with the same week last year; and 353,219 intermodal units, up 8%. Total combined weekly traffic in North America was 728,211 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.9%. North American rail volume for the first 15 weeks of 2015 was 10,499,143 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5% compared with 2014.
Canadian railroads reported 81,793 carloads for the week, down 0.1%, and 62,356 intermodal units, up 5.6% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 15 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,053,708 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.2%.
Mexican railroads reported 16,683 carloads for the week, up 11.7% compared with the same week last year, and 10,947 intermodal units, up 23.1%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 15 weeks of 2015 was 396,490 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.0% from the same point last year.