Econintersect: Rail traffic YoY growth strongly improved in week thirteen of 2011 ending 02 April according to Railfax.
The biggest post-recession growth in rail traffic occurred in the 1st quarter of 2010 – and year-over-year comparisons are increasingly compared to larger base data. Performance year to date for 2011 has been very strong, in spite of the weakening growth rate.
This week, the growth rate rose sharply from the previous week, reversing recent “less good” YoY improvements. Last week rail traffic was up 3.5% year-over-year. This week (week thirteen of 2011) the year-over-year improvement was 11.2%. Year-to-date gains declined from 6.2% to 6.6%.
The data details:
Total US Rail Traffic
| Major Commodity Groups | Total | Grain | Chemicals | Food | Forest | Metals | Coal | Autos | Intermodal |
| Current Week | |||||||||
| Vs. 2010 | 11.2% | 7.4% | 14.6% | (1.3%) | 4.7% | 12.1% | 1.3% | 25.7% | 19.4% |
| Vs. 2009 | 21.1% | 26.7% | 27.2% | 2.3% | 12.3% | 83.9% | 4.6% | 52.5% | 26.8% |
| 4 Week Rolling Avg. | |||||||||
| Vs. 2010 | 6.0% | 1.9% | 10.5% | (3.5%) | 7.1% | 6.0% | (0.3%) | 16.8% | 10.4% |
| Vs. 2009 | 15.9% | 23.6% | 25.2% | 2.6% | 11.3% | 54.1% | 0.8% | 39.5% | 22.2% |
| Quarter to Date | |||||||||
| Vs. 2010 | 6.6% | 3.7% | 7.5% | (5.1%) | 7.0% | 11.8% | 3.8% | 11.4% | 8.7% |
| Vs. 2009 | 11.7% | 20.0% | 19.5% | 2.3% | 7.4% | 45.2% | (3.3%) | 45.0% | 17.8% |
| Year to Date | |||||||||
| Vs. 2010 | 6.6% | 3.7% | 7.5% | (5.1%) | 7.0% | 11.8% | 3.8% | 11.4% | 8.7% |
| Vs. 2009 | 11.7% | 20.0% | 19.5% | 2.3% | 7.4% | 45.2% | (3.3%) | 45.0% | 17.8% |
