US chem railcar traffic falls for fifth straight week

09 October 2008 15:50  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--US chemical railcar traffic for the week ended 4 October dropped 2.8%, marking the fifth straight decline in shipments in the wake a deepening financial crisis and the aftermath of hurricanes Ike and Gustav, according to data released on Thursday.

 

Chemical railcar loadings for the week totalled 29,174, compared with 30,012 for the same week in 2007, said the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

 

The weekly shipment data is a good early indicator of current chemical industry activity. Railroads transport more than 20% of the chemicals produced in the US.

 

Chemical railcar loadings in the year-to-date period through to 4 October were up 1.6% to 1,232,241 from 1,213,011 in the same period last year.

 

Railcar loadings for all 19 commodities tracked by the AAR for the week were down 0.1% to 336,457, from 336,960 in the same week of 2007, the association said.

 

Year-do-date through 4 October, overall railcar loadings for the 19 commodity categories were just over 13m, down 0.2% when compared with the same period of 2007.

 

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

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