The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported mixed U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Nov. 22, 2014 with 295,812 total carloads, down 0.3 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 269,373 units, up 0.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 565,185 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2013, including petroleum and petroleum products with 16,037 carloads, up 11.5 percent. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2013 were led by farm products, excluding grain and food, with 16,747 carloads, down 6.4 percent.

For the first 47 weeks of 2014, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 13,720,901 carloads, up 3.4 percent compared with the same point last year, and 12,273,260 intermodal units, up 5.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 47 weeks of 2014 was 25,994,161 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2 percent from last year.

Canadian railroads reported 84,389 carloads for the week, up 2.9 percent, and 57,150 intermodal units, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week in 2013. For the first 47 weeks of 2014, Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,796,074 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year, and 2,693,687 intermodal units, up 6.3 percent from last year.

Mexican railroads reported 16,759 carloads for the week, up 12.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 9,839 intermodal units, up 5.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 47 weeks of 2014 was 742,022 carloads, up 3.1 percent from the same point last year, and 502,743 intermodal units, up 5.4 percent from last year.

Combined North American rail volume for the first 47 weeks of 2014 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 18,258,997 carloads, up 3 percent compared with the same point last year, and 15,469,690 intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.4 percent compared with last year.

(Source: AAR)