AAR: U.S. rail traffic picks up steam in June

United States railroads originated 1.07 million carloads and 1.11 million containers and trailers in June 2017, year-over-year increases of 4.4 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.    Total freight rail carload and intermodal originations in the United States totaled 2.18 million in June 2017, an increase of 4.5 percent from the same month a year ago, according to recent data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
   U.S. railroads originated 1.07 million carloads and 1.11 million containers and trailers for the month, year-over-year increases of 4.4 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.
   During the month, eight of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR experienced year-over-year carload gains, including coal, up 13.2 percent; crushed stone, gravel and sand, up 18.5 percent; and chemicals, up 4.1 percent.
   On the flip side, some of the commodities that saw carload declines compared to June 2016 included motor vehicle and parts, down 9.5 percent; petroleum and petroleum products, down 15.2 percent; and metallic ores, down 7.7 percent.
   “Rail traffic indicators of the economy remain mixed. While some commodity groups, such as intermodal, chemicals, and crushed stone and sand (driven heavily by frac sand) set new all-time first half records and a few others like grain and coke set post-recession records, several other traffic categories continue to struggle,” AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray said.
   “All of this indicates an industrial economy that may not yet have a clear direction forward and one that continues to undergo structural change,” he added. “It is a sign of the reality railroads constantly face: changing markets that are difficult to foresee and plan for.”