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Rail and intermodal traffic both fell last week compared with a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.

Intermodal traffic fell 15.4% to 188,351 units for the week ended Saturday. Container volumes fell 10.7% to 155,973, while trailers fell 32.6% to 32,378,

Rail carload rail traffic plunged 24.4% to 252,065 units, AAR said in its weekly report.

For the month of March, intermodal traffic fell 14.9% and rail carloads fell 17.3%, AAR said.

Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.