The number of carloads moved on short line and regional railroads increased in year-to-year comparisons. Total carloads were up from 354,179 in March 2012 to 369,100 in March 2013, resulting in a four percent increase.
The largest gain was observed in coal, up 69 percent. Metallic ores followed, up 49 percent. Commodities experiencing the most significant declines were grain, down 14 percent, followed by metals & products, down 11 percent. (Click here to download this table as an Excel file.)
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.