AAR: Weekly freight-rail traffic down 3.7 percent from a year ago

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recently published its latest report for weekly traffic in the U.S. for the week ending Jan. 9.

This week registered a weekly rail traffic total of 498,160 intermodal units and carloads, a decline of 3.7 percent from a year ago.

The total amount of carloads for the week was 239,221, a decrease of 13.5 percent from a year ago.

For intermodal volume trailers and containers, the total was 258,939, up 7.5 percent from a year ago.

Five carload commodity groups reported a rise compared to a year ago, including motor vehicles and parts, up 10.6 percent to 13,276 carloads; chemicals, up 6.2 percent to 32,302 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 23 percent to 8,552 carloads

Commodity groups that showed declines from a year ago include metallic ores and metals, down 18.1 percent to 19,419 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 15.1 percent to 13,096 carloads; and coal, down 30.7 percent to 75,112 carloads.