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Intermodal Traffic Rises 0.6% for Week
U.S. rail intermodal traffic rose 0.6% to 240,698 units last week, over the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.
Year-to-date, intermodal traffic has risen 4.6% to 3.8 million units over the same period last year.
Railroad carloads declined 2% to 276,662 units for the week ended Saturday, according to AAR.
Four of the 10 carload groups posted increases, compared with the same week last year, led by a 40.1% jump in petroleum products.
Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-value merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for shorter distances at either end of the trip.
