Rail Intermodal Traffic Posts Second Straight Weekly Record High

Another week, another record week for intermodal rail traffic in the U.S., according to the Association of American Railroads.

Friday it reported U.S. rail traffic increased for the week ending June 21 with 291,142 total carloads, up 0.9% compared with the same week last year. This was the highest week in history for total U.S. intermodal volume, topping the previous record set last week, reaching 272,553 units, up 7.8% compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 563,695 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2% compared with the same week last year.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013.

For the first 25 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,149,837 carloads, up 3.1% compared with the same point last year, and 6,377,674 intermodal units, up 5.9% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 25 weeks of 2014 was 13,527,511 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4% from last year.