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February 15, 2007 3:00 PM, EST

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Rail intermodal traffic rose 1.1% last week, the Association of American Railroads reported Thursday.Intermodal volume reached 232,293 trailers and containers for the week ended Friday, compared with the same week last year.Trailers fell 12.3% while containers rose 5.5%, AAR said in its weekly report.Rail carload traffic declined 5.5% for the week, led by an 11% decline in the East that was due in part to bad weather, the group said.Railroad volume isidered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.