The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Nov. 30 that for the week ending November 26, 2016, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 452,759 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending November 26 were 229,866 carloads, down 0.4% compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 222,893 containers and trailers, up 1.6% compared to 2015.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They included grain, up 20.2% to 22,438 carloads; metallic ores and metals, up 8.5% to 18,206 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 7.8% to 7,461 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 23.2% to 9,150 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 15.3% to 12,773 carloads; and forest products, down 8.4% to 8,511 carloads.
For the first 47 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,848,889 carloads, down 9.2% from the same point last year; and 12,199,820 intermodal units, down 2.6% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 47 weeks of 2016 was 24,048,709 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending November 26, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 323,439 carloads, up 1.1% compared with the same week last year, and 294,263 intermodal units, up 1.5% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 617,702 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3%. North American rail volume for the first 47 weeks of 2016 was 31,506,124 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.5% compared with 2015.
Canadian railroads reported 77,955 carloads for the week, up 7.5%, and 60,401 intermodal units, up 3.3% compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 47 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,191,875 carloads, containers and trailers, down 4.2%.
Mexican railroads reported 15,618 carloads for the week, down 6.5% compared with the same week last year, and 10,969 intermodal units, down 9%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 47 weeks of 2016 was 1,265,540 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.2% from the same point last year.