Grain Gains Offset Coal, Oil Losses

A slight silver lining has showed up in the latest freight statistics report issued by the Association of American Railroads.

AAR said a substantial increase in grain shipments is partly offsetting losses in coal and petroleum traffic.

Grain traffic was up 24.3 percent to 22,7119 carloads. Petroleum and petroleum products were down 24.8 percent (10,627 carloads) while coal fell 20.6 percent (75,606 carloads).

The data are from the week ending June 18, which showed that a total of 516,096 carloads and intermodal units was down 6.3 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads were 250,748, down 8.5 percent compared with the same week in 2015, while intermodal volume was 265,348 containers and trailers, down 4.2 percent compared to 2015.

Tags: AAR freight statistics, Association of American Railroads, freight traffic