The Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced Tuesday that May carloads of 1,159,328 were up 0.5 percent year-on-year. Intermodal traffic had a more significant year-on-year change, increasing 7.5 percent last month. Compared to April 2011, carloads were flat and intermodal traffic was up 0.8 percent. May was the 18th consecutive month of intermodal gains.
Of the 20 commodity categories carried on US railroads, eight saw carload gains in May, led by metallic ores (up 17.6 percent year-on-year). Coal carloads fell 1.8 percent last month.