AAR releases weekly rail traffic report for Oct. 10

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has released its latest report for U.S. rail traffic figures during the week that ended with Oct. 10.

The total carloads and intermodal units for that week amounted to 56,233, a decrease of 2.8 percent compared to the same period in 2014. Total carloads amounted to 281,073, a decline of 5.8 percent compared to the same period in 2014, and intermodal volume stands at 275,160 trailers and containers, an increase of 0.5 percent from the same week in 2014.

Five out of the 10 total carload commodity groups reported a rise in figures compared to the same week last year. Grain accounted for 24,818 carloads (a rise of 21.3 percent), motor vehicles and parts accounted for 17,846 (an increase of 2 percent), and miscellaneous carloads accounted for 10,256 (up by 24.4 percent).

Compared to the same period last year, commodity groups with declines included petroleum and related products (which fell 16.6 percent or 13,621 carloads), metallic ores and metals (which declined by 23.5 percent or 20,084 carloads), and coal (which decreased by 12.6 percent or 98,637 carloads).

The first 40 weeks in 2015 show total U.S. traffic amounting to 21.8 million carloads as well as intermodal units. Compared to 2014, this is a decline of 1.2 percent.