Written by: William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief Rail freight traffic continued its recovery, as volume rose consistently during 2017’s first 20 weeks and registered a solid gain for the week ending May 20, the Association of American Railroads reported. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 534,922 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.5 % compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending May 20 were 260,115 carloads, up 6.4% compared with the same week in 2016, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 274,807 containers and trailers, up 4.6% compared to 2016. Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2016. They included grain, up 24.5% to 23,997 carloads; coal, up 18.6% to 78,990 carloads; and nonmetallic minerals, up 6.4% to 39,693 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 16.8% to 9,670 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 6.8% to 17,782 carloads; and forest products, down 1.9% to 10,155 carloads. For the first 20 weeks of 2017, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,114,060 carloads, up 6.5% from the same point last year; and 5,250,220 intermodal units, up 1.9% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 20 weeks of 2017 was 10,364,280 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4.1% compared to last year. North American rail volume for the week ending May 20, 2017, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 353,939 carloads, up 7.3% compared with the same week last year, and 354,471 intermodal units, up 5.6% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 708,410 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.5%. North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2017 was 13,734,475 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.2% compared with 2016. Canadian railroads reported 77,163 carloads for the week, up 14.4%, and 68,175 intermodal units, up 10.5% compared with the same week in 2016. For the first 20 weeks of 2017, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,843,485 carloads, containers and trailers, up 10.8%. Mexican railroads reported 16,661 carloads for the week, down 7.9% compared with the same week last year, and 11,489 intermodal units, up 3.1%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 20 weeks of 2017 was 526,710 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.3% from the same point last year. Continue reading...
