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Intermodal Traffic Falls for Week, Month
Intermodal rail traffic fell 19.2% last week compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads said.
Total intermodal volume fell to 164,916 units, from 204,038. Container volume fell 13.8%, while trailer volume plunged 39.2%, the group said.
Overall freight rail traffic fell 26.3% for the week, to 233,195 carloads, AAR said in its weekly report.
In the month of May, intermodal traffic fell 19.7% to 723,898 units, while rail traffic fell 24.7% to 989,306 carloads, 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.