The number of carloads moved on short line and regional railroads increased slightly, with a five percent increase in year-to-year comparisons. Total carloads were up from 332,002 in December 2012 to 349,676 in December 2013.
The largest gains were observed in metallic ores and nonmetallic minerals, up 110 percent and 70 percent, respectively. Commodities experiencing the most significant declines were stone, clay, and glass, along with food and kindred products, down six percent and three percent, respectively. (Click here to download this file as an Excel table.)
Railinc publishes this information as a service to the rail industry. The Railinc Short Line and Regional Traffic Index can also be found monthly in Railway Age Magazine. For questions or comments, please contact the Railinc Corporate Communications department.