U.S. Rail Traffic in Second Week of November Climb 0.5 Percent from Year Ago

The Association of American Railroads reported gains in rail traffic for the week ending Nov.12, 2011, with U.S. railroads originating 299,591 carloads, up 0.5 percent compared with the same week last year. Intermodal volume for the week totaled 244,972 trailers and containers, up 5.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Ten of the 20 carload commodity categories saw increases on U.S. railroads compared with the same year-ago period.

The largest gains were petroleum products, which increased by 1430 carloads or 22 percent, metals and product, which grew by 1172 carloads or 13.9 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment, which was up 1645 carloads or 13.2 percent.

Of the groups showing a decrease in weekly traffic, grain fell 4863 carloads or 18.3 percent, primary forest products decreased by 198 carloads or 11.4 percent, and waste and nonferrous scrap lost 310 carloads or 8.1 percent.

For the first 45 weeks of 2011, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 13,142,833 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 10,340,944 trailers and containers, up 5.2 percent from last year.