The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported total U.S. weekly rail traffic for the week ending August 27, 2016 was 539,657 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.2% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending August 27 were 269,645 carloads, down 7.3% compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 270,012 containers and trailers, down 5.1% compared to 2015.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They included grain, up 18.8% to 21,727 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, up 6% to 19,392 carloads; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 2.1% to 16,465 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 27.5% to 10,076 carloads; coal, down 15.9% to 91,469 carloads; and metallic ores and metals, down 7.9% to 21,493 carloads.
For the first 34 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,395,455 carloads, down 11.3% from the same point last year; and 8,776,969 intermodal units, down 3% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 34 weeks of 2016 was 17,172,424 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 7.2% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending August 27, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 357,044 carloads, down 7.1% compared with the same week last year, and 345,673 intermodal units, down 4.2% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 702,717 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.7%. North American rail volume for the first 34 weeks of 2016 was 22,453,420 carloads and intermodal units, down 7% compared with 2015.
Canadian railroads reported 71,515 carloads for the week, down 5.3%, and 64,312 intermodal units, up 0.8% compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 34 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,366,568 carloads, containers and trailers, down 7.1%.
Mexican railroads reported 15,884 carloads for the week, down 10.8% compared with the same week last year, and 11,349 intermodal units, down 8.4%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 34 weeks of 2016 was 914,428 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.2% from the same point last year.