AAR: U.S. freight rail traffic falls 7.3% in January

Carload traffic dropped 16.6 percent in January, but intermodal traffic grew 3.4 percent compared with January 2015, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.    United States-based freight railroads in January saw their volumes drop 7.3 percent compared to January 2015, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.
   Carload traffic dropped 16.6 percent in January to 968,042 carloads, but intermodal volumes grew 3.4 percent to 1,039,621 containers and trailers.
   Four of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR reported growth in January: miscellaneous carloads, up 45.2 percent; chemicals, up 2.1 percent; and motor vehicles and parts, up 3.9 percent. Commodities that posted year-over-year declines for the month included coal, down 33.3 percent; petroleum and related products, down 19.4 percent; and crushed stone, gravel, and sand, down 10.3 percent.
   AAR noted that excluding coal, volumes of which have plummeted in the past year amid stricter EPA regulations surrounding its use, total carloads fell 5.9 percent compared with January 2015.
   “Intermodal was solid in January, but carload volumes weren’t what railroads were hoping for,” AAR Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics John T. Gray said in a statement. “By all accounts, rail service right now is excellent, but volume just isn’t there.
   “At some point, the problems currently plaguing the energy and manufacturing sectors — low oil prices, a strong dollar, uncertainties in emerging markets — will sort themselves out,” he added. “When that happens, railroads will be positioned to provide safe, reliable service.”