The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 8, 2016.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 521,789 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.1 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 8 were 264,165 carloads, down 5.9 percent compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 257,624 containers and trailers, down 6.4 percent compared to 2015.  

Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They were grain, up 8.2 percent to 26,845 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, up 6.2 percent to 18,946 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 29.8 percent to 9,587 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, down 9.5 percent to 35,305 carloads; and coal, down 8.3 percent to 90,195 carloads.  

For the first 40 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,001,381 carloads, down 10.4 percent from the same point last year; and 10,341,236 intermodal units, down 3.3 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 40 weeks of 2016 was 20,342,617 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6.9 percent compared to last year.  

North American rail volume for the week ending October 8, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 359,824 carloads, down 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 332,580 intermodal units, down 5.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 692,404 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first 40 weeks of 2016 was 26,625,526 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.5 percent compared with 2015.  

Canadian railroads reported 80,645 carloads for the week, up 6.7 percent, and 61,796 intermodal units, down 1.2 percent compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 40 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,205,378 carloads, containers and trailers, down 5.7 percent.  

Mexican railroads reported 15,014 carloads for the week, down 4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 13,160 intermodal units, down 1.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 40 weeks of 2016 was 1,077,531 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.5 percent from the same point last year.