Transportation of petroleum and petroleum products by rail in the US in the week that ended Saturday totaled 13,098 cars, up 19.6% compared with the year-ago period, the Association of American Railroads said Thursday.
In the year to date, petroleum and petroleum product shipments totaled 447,318 carloads, 42% above the same period of 2012, the group said in a weekly report.
US railroads saw a 2% year-on-year increase in total carloads originated in the week that ended Saturday, with intermodal volumes rising 3.7%, AAR said. Intermodal traffic involves movement by more than one mode of transport -- be it rail, ship or truck.
In the year to date, total US rail carloads originated are up 0.9%, with intermodal volume up 3.5%, AAR said.
Rail traffic is seen as a useful gauge of the health of the US economy.
In the most recent week, Canadian petroleum carloads were down 3.1% and Mexican petroleum carloads rose 10.6% from the corresponding week of 2012, AAR said.
Year to date, Canadian petroleum carloads were 17.3% higher and Mexico originated 9.3% more petroleum carloads, AAR said.