Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) has reported a decrease of 8.5 percent, or 22,451 carloads, for July 2016 rail traffic compared to July 2015. Carloads totaled 242,950 for the month.
G&W’s North American Operations reported a decline in traffic of 5.9 percent to 131,140 carloads for July. The decrease was primarily due to reduced shipments of metals, minerals and stone, coal and coke, and pulp and paper traffic, partially offset by increased agricultural products traffic.
North American metals traffic dropped 21 percent, or 2,463 carloads, primarily due to decreased shipments of scrap steel and coils. Minerals and stone traffic decreased by 10.7 percent, or 2,146 carloads, due to decreased shipments of construction aggregates in G&W’s Central Region and decreased frac sand and salt in G&W’s Northeast Region. Pulp and paper traffic was down by 9.5 percent, or 1,483 carloads, primarily due to decreased shipments across most of G&W’s regions.
However, agricultural products traffic increased 13.3 percent, or 2,222 carloads, primarily due to increased grain shipments in G&W’s Midwest and Mountain West regions and distillers dried grains shipments in G&W’s Pacific Region. All remaining traffic decreased by 2,415 carloads.