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Intermodal, Rail Traffic Decline for Week
Intermodal rail traffic fell 23.7% last week compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads said.
Total intermodal volume fell to 176,887 units, from 231,921. Container volume fell 19.4% to 148,154 units, while trailer volume plunged 40.3% to 48,123 units, the group said.
Overall freight rail traffic fell 17.9% for the week, to 262,210 carloads, AAR said in its weekly report Thursday.
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.