October was another solid month for America’s railroads, according to the Association for American Railroads. October traffic was 11% higher than the depressed levels of a year ago:
Intermodal traffic (think trailers and containers) is up 14% over 2009, thus returning to 2008 levels:
Carloads (think bulk materials like coal, grains, minerals, and chemicals plus autos) are up almost 9%:
Charts are not data, they merely plot data on an axis, they provide no details other than trends. This is not an article this is data porn.
How about explaining the underlying information as to what the railroads are carrying and where it is going. Are these materials going to ports for export or to plants for manufacturing?
Does this indicate a rise in manufacturing or refining in the U.S.or is this merely indicative of commodity purchases by the Communist Republic of China?
Without details, this is merely empty economic propaganda.
Intermodal traffic (think trailers and containers) is up 14% over 2009, thus returning to 2008 levels: