The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Nov. 23 that for the week ending Nov. 19, 2016, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 547,804 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.8% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending November 19 were 271,420 carloads, up 1.3% compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 276,384 containers and trailers, up 4.4% compared to 2015.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They were grain, up 19.9% to 25,916 carloads; farm products excl. grain, and food, up 3.5% to 17,057 carloads; and coal, up 1.7% to 94,751 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 6.9% to 11,076 carloads; metallic ores and metals, down 3.4% to 19,099 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2.5% to 18,611 carloads.
For the first 46 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,619,023 carloads, down 9.3% from the same point last year; and 11,976,927 intermodal units, down 2.7% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 46 weeks of 2016 was 23,595,950 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6.1% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending November 19, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 368,531 carloads, up 3% compared with the same week last year, and 351,168 intermodal units, up 5% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 719,699 carloads and intermodal units, up 4%. North American rail volume for the first 46 weeks of 2016 was 30,888,422 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.6% compared with 2015.
Canadian railroads reported 81,944 carloads for the week, up 10.8%, and 63,086 intermodal units, up 8.4% compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 46 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,053,519 carloads, containers and trailers, down 4.4%.
Mexican railroads reported 15,167 carloads for the week, down 3.8% compared with the same week last year, and 11,698 intermodal units, up 2.6%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 46 weeks of 2016 was 1,238,953 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.1% from the same point last year.