AAR measures record intermodal growth

   Domestic intermodal traffic jumped to a record 270,243 units during the week ended June 14, a 6.3-percent, year-over-year, rise, according to the Association of American Railroads.
   Domestic rail traffic rose by 2.2 percent, year-over-year, during the week, finishing the period at 295,132 carloads.
   Combined, the traffic result showed a 4.4-percent, year-over-year, improvement.
   Carload activity was boosted by grain activity, which rose 22.3 percent compared to the same week in 2013; shipment of petroleum and petroleum products, which grew 13.2 percent; and an 8.4-pecent rise in metallic ore shipments. Coal was the only commodity to show negative growth, ending the week down 6.2 percent compared to the same period in 2013.
   So far this year, grain activity is up 20.3 percent compared to 2013, vastly outpacing growth among other commodities.  
   Total Canadian traffic for the week ending June 14 rose 10.7 percent compared to the same period last year, and Mexican traffic increased by 5.2 percent over the same time period. Canadian grain results showed an even larger increase in Canada than in the U.S., growing 49.9 percent for the week, year-over-year, but only 13.8-percent, year-to-date. Forest products were the hot commodity for the week in Mexico — 31-percent growth, year-over-year — but motor vehicles have seen the biggest increase, year-to-date, with a 15.1-percent rise. Grain shipments in Mexico are down 27.3 percent on the year.