The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 18, 2017.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 531,123 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.8 percent compared with the same week last year.  

Total carloads for the week ending February 18 were 263,620 carloads, up 7.6 percent compared with the same week in 2016, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 267,503 containers and trailers, up 6 percent compared to 2016.  

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2016. They included coal, up 18.6 percent to 90,927 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, up 11.1 percent to 33,732 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 10.6 percent to 9,292 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 were motor vehicles and parts, down 10.3 percent to 17,590 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 3.7 percent to 9,878 carloads; and forest products, down 3.2 percent to 10,113 carloads.  

For the first 7 weeks of 2017, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,783,857 carloads, up 5 percent from the same point last year; and 1,824,812 intermodal units, up 0.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 7 weeks of 2017 was 3,608,669 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.7 percent compared to last year.  

North American rail volume for the week ending February 18, 2017, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 358,727 carloads, up 8.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 341,460 intermodal units, up 6.6 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 700,187 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 7 weeks of 2017 was 4,755,175 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.2 percent compared with 2016.  

Canadian railroads reported 79,323 carloads for the week, up 15.4 percent, and 62,100 intermodal units, up 8.6 percent compared with the same week in 2016. For the first 7 weeks of 2017, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 970,835 carloads, containers and trailers, up 7.4 percent.  

Mexican railroads reported 15,784 carloads for the week, down 4.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,857 intermodal units, up 9.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 7 weeks of 2017 was 175,671 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 7.3 percent from the same point last year.