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U.S. rail intermodal traffic rose 3.3% to 241,987 units last week, over the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said..

Year-to-date, intermodal traffic has risen 4.9% to 3.6 million units over the same period last year.

Railroad carloads dipped 0.6% to 275,675 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 51.2% jump in petroleum products. Motor vehicles and parts carloads increased 10.9%.

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.