U.S. intermodal traffic rose 4.2% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.
Trailer traffic fell 8.3% to 30,698 units, while containers climbed 6.5% to 195,341 units, the rail trade group said in its weekly report.
Railroad carloads excluding intermodal fell 4.8% to 278,728 units, the group said.
Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.