The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 21, 2016 was 506,983 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.5% compared with the same week a year ago.

Total carloads for the week ending May 21 were 244,290 carloads, down 10.6% compared with the same week in 2015, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 262,693 containers and trailers, down 6.5% compared to 2015.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They included miscellaneous carloads, up 20.7% to 10,071 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, up 4.7% to 37,326 carloads and motor vehicles and parts, up 2.1% to 19,067 carloads.

Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included coal, down 28.8% to 66,709 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, down 21.5% to 11,593 carloads and forest products, down 8.3% to 10,341 carloads.

For the first 20 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,803,310 carloads, down 14% from the same point last yea; and 5,150,727 intermodal units, down 1.7% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 20 weeks of 2016 was 9,954,037 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 8.1% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending May 21, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 329,662 carloads, down 10.2% compared with the same week last year, and 335,581 intermodal units, down 5.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 665,243 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.7%. North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2016 was 13,055,579 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.6% compared with 2015.