The Association of American Railroads (AAR) on Oct. 26 reported for the week ending Oct. 22, 2016, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 544,092 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.7% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending Oct. 22 were 268,551 carloads, down 5.8% compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 275,541 containers and trailers, up 2.6% compared to 2015.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They were miscellaneous carloads, up 16.5% to 10,852 carloads; grain, up 4.6% to 26,442 carloads; and nonmetallic minerals, up 0.1% to 37,324 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 24.4% to 10,037 carloads; metallic ores and metals, down 12.3% to 19,115 carloads; and coal, down 10.5% to 90,272 carloads.
For the first 42 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,532,634 carloads, down 10.2% from the same point last year; and 10,886,011 intermodal units, down 3.1% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 42 weeks of 2016 was 21,418,645 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6.7% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending October 22, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 361,718 carloads, down 3.6% compared with the same week last year, and 348,072 intermodal units, up 2.2% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 709,790 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.9%. North American rail volume for the first 42 weeks of 2016 was 28,036,119 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.3% compared with 2015.
Canadian railroads reported 78,461 carloads for the week, up 5.5%, and 61,137 intermodal units, down 0.2% compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 42 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,485,249 carloads, containers and trailers, down 5.2%.
Mexican railroads reported 14,706 carloads for the week, down 8% compared with the same week last year, and 11,394 intermodal units, up 5.7%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 42 weeks of 2016 was 1,132,225 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.5% from the same point last year.