US rail transportation of petroleum products in the week ended Saturday increased 65.3% year on year, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.
Petroleum products carloads increased to 13,275 in the most recent week, from 8,033 carloads in the same week of 2011.
In the first 48 weeks of 2012, petroleum product carloads were up 45.2% to 491,349 carloads compared with the same cumulative time frame of 2011.
US railroads reported a 2.0% decrease in total carloads originated, while intermodal volume declined 3.1% compared with the same week a year ago, AAR said. Intermodal traffic involves movement by more than one mode of transport -- rail, ship and truck.
Cumulatively, total US rail carloads originated are down 3.1% with intermodal volume rising 3.3%.
Rail traffic is seen as a useful gauge on the health of the US economy.
In the most recent week, total North American petroleum carloads were 52% higher year on year, with a 36.4% rise and a 11.3% fall in Canada and Mexico, respectively.
North American petroleum carloads were 37.3% higher in the first 48 weeks of this year compared with the same period in 2011, but Mexico originated 14.9% fewer carloads while Canada saw a 30.4% increase.
