Rail traffic for crude oil and petroleum products in the US rose 743 units for the week ending August 23 to 16,396 carloads, a 28.4% increase from the same time last year, data from the Association of American Railroads showed Thursday.
Shipments rose above 16,000 carloads for only the fourth time this year, and remained well above the year-to-date average of 14,953 carloads per week. Year-to-date shipments totaled 508,403 carloads, up 10.5% from the same time last year.
Total rail shipments decreased 3,771 units to 300,505 carloads, but remained 3% above traffic the same week last year. So far this year, total shipments are at 2,682,698 carloads, up 3.7% from last year.
Canadian crude and products shipments dropped from their 2014 high, down 151 units to 7,795 carloads, though at 247,682 carloads, the year-to-date volume is 11.1% above that of the same period last year.
Mexican crude and products traffic remained weak, rising 49 units to 379 carloads, compared to a year-to-date average of 418 carloads.
