For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 566,734 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.5 percent compared with the same week last year. 

Total carloads for the week ending Sep. 19 were 285,320 carloads, down 5.5 percent compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 281,414 containers and trailers, up 0.6 percent compared to 2014.  

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They were grain, up 19 percent to 22,977 carloads; miscellaneous carloads, up 7.7 percent to 9,061; and motor vehicles and parts, up 5.8 percent to 18,695. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 22.9 percent to 22,044 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 13.1 percent to 14,090 carloads; and coal, down 9.1 percent to 103,244 carloads.  

For the first 37 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,304,555 carloads, down 4.4 percent from the same point last year; and 9,854,405 intermodal units, up 2.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 37 weeks of 2015 was 20,158,960 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 1.1 percent compared to last year.  

North American rail volume for the week ending Sep. 19, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 374,623 carloads, down 7.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 351,204 intermodal units, down 0.2 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 725,827 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.9 percent. North American rail volume for the first 37 weeks of 2015 was 26,262,586 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.7 percent compared with 2014.   

Canadian railroads reported 74,525 carloads for the week, down 12.8 percent, and 59,545 intermodal units, down 2.1 percent compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 37 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,098,750 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.3 percent.  

Mexican railroads reported 14,778 carloads for the week, down 7.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,245 intermodal units, down 8.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 37 weeks of 2015 was 1,004,876 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.1 percent from the same point last year.