The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 17, 2015. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 554,696 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year. 

Total carloads for the week ending Oct. 17 were 279,547 carloads, down 5.9 percent compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 275,149 containers and trailers, up 1 percent compared to 2014.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They include: grain, up 16.7 percent to 25,372 carloads; miscellaneous carloads, up 15.1 percent to 9,223; and motor vehicles and parts, up 13.2 percent to 18,894. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 20.9 percent to 21,486 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 14 percent to 13,772 carloads; and coal, down 13.4 percent to 95,822 carloads.

For the first 41 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,441,306 carloads, down 4.4 percent from the same point last year; and 10,967,576 intermodal units, up 2.4 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 41 weeks of 2015 was 22,408,882 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 1.2 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Oct. 17, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 368,720carloads, down 8.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 347,075 intermodal units, up 1.5 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 715,795 carloads and intermodal units, down 4 percent. North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2015 was 29,179,927 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.9 percent compared with 2014. 

Canadian railroads reported 72,928 carloads for the week, down 15.4 percent, and 58,859 intermodal units, up 6 percent compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 41 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,648,347 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.4 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 16,245 carloads for the week, down 20 percent compared with the same week last year, and 13,067 intermodal units, down 5.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 41 weeks of 2015 was 1,122,698 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2 percent from the same point last year.