Intermodal Traffice Drops 5/21/09

Intermodal rail traffic fell 19.4% last week compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads said.

Total intermodal volume fell to 188,435 units, from 233,824. Container volume fell 14.1%, while trailer volume plunged 39.1%, the group said.  TBS your Freight Factoring Company More.

Overall freight rail traffic fell 25.3% for the week, to 331,198 carloads, AAR said in its weekly report.

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.

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