News Wire: AAR: Overall carload and intermodal traffic down more than 5% for the week of June 15

[Brian Schmidt]

WASHINGTON — The Association of American Railroads today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 15. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 527,989 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.4 percent compared with the same w...

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/06/19--aar-overall-carload-and-intermodal-traffic-down-more-than-5-for-the-week-of-june-15

[blue streak 1]

Down 5% ?  what is the total for last 3 months ?  Could this be an indication of the economy slowing or contracting ?  Or is it a result of all the new tariffs ?  Or something else ?

Also year to date down 2.8%

[Juniata Man]

I’m betting it’s tariff related.  Canadian railroads are posting gains.  If we were looking at a recession, Canadian railroads would typically be seeing reduced business levels too.

[SAMUEL C WALKER]

Both containers and carloadings have been less than the comparable week in 2018 since the 6th or7th week of this year. I have not seen anything that might suggest it is an erosion of traffic to trucks or an indicator of a future economic slowdown, RR carloadings are watched by some ecumenists as an early indicator. Or, is this a reflection of PSR driving business to pavement? So far the 2019 statistics are concerning. Anyone see anything anywhere that might give an interpretation or explanation of what is going on?

[williamsb]

EHH was not very friendly to intermodal.  CN had good I/M business and he ruined it, same at CP. Because he went to CP they left CP for CN. The I/M CN has now is not a result of EHH.