Econintersect: Week 46 of 2013 ending 09 November shows same week total rail traffic (from same week one year ago) improved according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Railcar count was up, and intermodal count is up. Weekly overall data is up, and up even more ignoring coal and grain.
- Four week rolling average rate of growth (compared with the average one year ago) is accelerating, and is better than the 4 week rolling average one year ago;
- 13 week rolling average rate of growth (compared with the average one year ago) is accelerating, and better than the 13 week rolling average one year ago;
- 52 week rolling average rate of growth (compared with the average one year ago) is accelerating, and better than the 52 week rolling average one year ago.
This is the 17th week of acceleration of the 52 week rolling average.
A summary of the data:
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported increased U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Nov. 16, 2013 with 295,563 total U.S. carloads, up 2.4 percent compared with the same week last year. Total U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 266,643 units, up 7.0 percent compared with the same week last year, and up for the 20th straight week in a row. Total combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 562,206 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5 percent compared with the same week last year.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2012, including grain with 24,104 carloads, up 23.5 percent; and petroleum and petroleum products with 15,123 carloads, up 21.6 percent. Commodities showing a decrease compared with the same week last year included coal with 113,334 carloads, down 5.0 percent.
For the first 46 weeks of 2013, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 12,977,291 carloads, down 0.5 percent from the same point last year, and 11,397,267 intermodal units, up 4.1 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 46 weeks of 2013 was 24,374,558 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.6 percent from last year.
USA coal production is down 0.7% same week year-over-year, has become a neutral to positive dynamic on rail.
| This Week | Carloads | Intermodal | Total |
| This week Year-over-Year | 2.4% | 7.0% | 4.5% |
| Ignoring coal and grain | 4.7% | ||
| Year Cumulative to Date | -0.5% | 4.1% | 1.6% |
[click on graph below to enlarge]
Current Rail Chart
/images/z rail1.png
From EIA.gov:
For the week ended November 16, 2013:
Source: AAR
