The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 20, 2015. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 550,839 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending June 20, 2015 were 273,932 carloads, down 6.1 percent compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 276,907 containers and trailers, up 1.6 percent compared to 2014.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They included: miscellaneous carloads, up 15.7 percent to 8,946 carloads; grain, up 3.4 percent to 18,271; and motor vehicles and parts, up 1.9 percent to 18,682 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: coal, down 13.7 percent to 95,095 carloads; metallic ores and metals, down 8.1 percent to 25,181 carloads; and forest products, down 7.3 percent to 11,119 carloads.

For the first 24 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,658,163, down 3.6 percent from the same point last year; and 6,329,465 intermodal units, up 2.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 24 weeks of 2015 was 12,987,628 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 0.8 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending June 20, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 368,270 carloads, down 6.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 351,477 intermodal units, up 2.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America, was 719,747 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 24 weeks of 2015 was 16,950,429 carloads and intermodal units, which remains flat compared with 2014. 

Canadian railroads reported 77,147 carloads for the week, down 11.3 percent, and 62,761 intermodal units, up 5.1 percent compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 24 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,319,154 carloads, containers and trailers, up 2.6 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 17,191 carloads for the week, up 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,809 intermodal units, up 5.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 24 weeks of 2015 was 643,647 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year.