Intermodal Rail Traffic Rises for Week

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Martin Cathrae/Flickr

U.S. rail intermodal traffic increased 4.5% in the week ended Dec. 13 compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported.

Railroads moved 280,337 intermodal trailers and containers, AAR said Dec. 18 in its weekly report.

Rail carload volume, which excludes intermodal units, increased 12.1% year-over-year to 312,271 carloads.

All 10 of the commodity groups AAR tracks increased over last year, led by nonmetallic minerals at 24.4%.



For the first 50 weeks, intermodal volume has increased 5.2% from the same period last year, to 13 million units.

Year to date, intermodal volume for all of North America increased 5.3% to 16.4 million trailers and containers.

Railroads in Canada reported intermodal volume increased 10.8% to 59,796 from the same period last year. Year to date, volume in intermodal containers increased 6.1% to 2.9 million units.

In Mexico, railroads moved 10,557 intermodal units, a 5.5% rise from last year, and so far this year, volume rose 5.5% to 535,454 units.