WASHINGTON, D.C. – For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 534,198 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.3 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending April 14 were 258,123 carloads, up 1.6 percent compared with the same week in 2017, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 276,075 containers and trailers, up 6.9 percent compared to 2017.

Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2017. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,609 carloads, to 18,838; metallic ores and metals, up 2,174 carloads, to 24,785; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,420 carloads, to 37,834. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2017: coal, down 6,265 carloads, to 75,778.

For the first 15 weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,816,220 carloads, up 0.2 percent from the same point last year; and 4,035,463 intermodal units, up 5.4 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 15 weeks of 2018 was 7,851,683 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.8 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending April 14, 2018, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 363,625 carloads, up 2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 360,909 intermodal units, up 7.2 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 724,534 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5 percent. North American rail volume for the first 15 weeks of 2018 was 10,588,773 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.6 percent compared with 2017.

Canadian railroads reported 84,648 carloads for the week, up 0.9 percent, and 67,335 intermodal units, up 7.7 percent compared with the same week in 2017. For the first 15 weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,168,076 carloads, containers and trailers, up 3.1 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 20,854 carloads for the week and 17,499 intermodal units. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 15 weeks of 2018 was 569,014 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.