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U.S. intermodal traffic rose 4.6% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.

Container traffic climbed 5.8% to 209,226 units, while trailer traffic declined 1.6% to 34,548 units.

Railroad carloads excluding intermodal rose 5.2% to 307,900 units, AAR said in its weekly report.

Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.