The number of carloads moved on short line and regional railroads increased slightly, with a three percent increase in year-to-year comparisons. Total carloads were up from 346,820 in September 2012 to 355,900 in September 2013.
The largest gains were observed in nonmetallic minerals, up 41 percent, followed by crushed stone, sand, and gravel, up 22 percent. Commodities experiencing the most significant declines were all other carloads, chemicals, and food and kindred products, each down three percent. (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.