November begins with drop in rail traffic volume

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) released data on U.S. rail traffic for the first week of November, which ended Saturday.

U.S. rail traffic for the week amounted to 539,165 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 5.2 percent from same week in 2014. Carloads for the week amounted to 272,063, a decline of 8.7 percent from the number of carloads in the first of November in 2014. Intermodal units added up to 267,102 containers and trailers, a decline of 1.5 percent from the total containers and trailers November 2014.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups showed an increase when compared to the first of November in 2014. Segments posting increases included motor vehicles and parts at 17,877 (an increase of 6 percent from a year ago), grain at 23,428 carloads (an increase of 5.2 percent) and miscellaneous carloads at 9,862 (an increase of 24.1 percent).

Commodity segments posting declines from a year ago included metallic ores and metals with 20,574 carloads (an 18 percent decline from last year); petroleum and related products with 12,999 carloads (a 19.7 decrease); and coal with 94,974 carloads (a 16 percent drop).

Overall, cumulative volume for U.S. railroads declined in the first 44 weeks of the year. The cumulative total of 12,277,219 carloads is a 4.7 percent decline from last year.