For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 391,107 carloads and intermodal units, down 9.8 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending Dec. 26 were 206,903 carloads, down 17.9 percent compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 184,204 containers and trailers, up 1.6 percent compared to 2014.   Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They were miscellaneous carloads, up 17.8 percent to 6,273 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, up 12.8 percent to 13,229 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included coal, down 31.6 percent to 70,350 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 26.2 percent to 10,537 carloads; and metallic ores and metals, down 26.1 percent to 17,001 carloads.  

For the first 51 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 14,058,461 carloads, down 5.8 percent from the same point last year; and 13,522,726 intermodal units, up 1.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 51 weeks of 2015 was 27,581,187 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 2.3 percent compared to last year.  

North American rail volume for the week ending Dec. 26, 2015, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 281,217 carloads, down 16.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 234,893 intermodal units, up 0.4 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 516,110 carloads and intermodal units, down 9.7 percent. North American rail volume for the first 51 weeks of 2015 was 35,923,713 carloads and intermodal units, down 2 percent compared with 2014.  

Canadian railroads reported 61,354 carloads for the week, down 13.4 percent, and 42,647 intermodal units, down 2.3 percent compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 51 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,960,578 carloads, containers and trailers, down 1.5 percent.  

Mexican railroads reported 12,960 carloads for the week, down 12 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,042 intermodal units, down 12.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 51 weeks of 2015 was 1,381,948 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.2 percent from the same point last year.