The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 5, 2018.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 545,937 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.5 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending May 5 were 265,563 carloads, up 6.4 percent compared with the same week in 2017, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280,374 containers and trailers, up 8.5 percent compared to 2017.
Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2017. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 4,192 carloads, to 41,092; coal, up 4,023 carloads, to 77,468; and grain, up 3,250 carloads, to 25,100. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2017: miscellaneous carloads, down 2,575 carloads, to 8,201.
For the first 18 weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,612,788 carloads, up 0.9 percent from the same point last year; and 4,875,755 intermodal units, up 5.9 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 18 weeks of 2018 was 9,488,543 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 5, 2018, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 371,260 carloads, up 6.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 366,970 intermodal units, up 7.4 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 738,230 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.9 percent. North American rail volume for the first 18 weeks of 2018 was 12,792,179 carloads and intermodal units, up 3 percent compared with 2017.
Canadian railroads reported 86,114 carloads for the week, up 5.8 percent, and 71,685 intermodal units, up 7 percent compared with the same week in 2017. For the first 18 weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,622,890 carloads, containers and trailers, up 2.9 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 19,583 carloads for the week and 14,911 intermodal units. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 18 weeks of 2018 was 680,746 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.
