Domestic U.S. rail freight was 493,880 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Nov. 15, down 4.5% from the same week a year ago.
Freight totaled 223,101 carloads, the Association of American Railroads reported, a decline of 0.2%, while intermodal volume of 270,779 containers and trailers was weaker by 7.7%.
Four of 10 carload groups gained in the latest week: Nonmetallic minerals, 10.2%; grain, 8.5%; nonmetallic minerals, 0.3% and miscellaneous freight, 15.3%.
Decreases were seen in motor vehicles and parts, 14%; petroleum and petroleum products, 11.3% and forest products, 6.8%.
Analysts have speculated on a verging oversupply among auto dealers, while a slow housing market has damped demand for lumber and building materials.
But year-to-date U.S. volume remained above 2024 as freight reached 10.2 million carloads, up 1.8%, and intermodal notched 12.5 million units, ahead by 2.2%. Total combined traffic of 22.7 million carloads and intermodal units was better by 2%.
North American rail volume on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 328,748 carloads, weaker by 0.9% from the year-ago week, Intermodal gained 2.1% to 354,081 units. Total combined weekly traffic was 682,829 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6% percent; combined volume for the first 46 weeks of this year was 31.2 million carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8%.
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Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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