U.S. intermodal traffic rose 4.2% for the week ended Saturday from a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said.
Trailer traffic dropped 11.4% to 29,795 units, while containers climbed 7% to 202,606 units, the rail trade group said in its weekly report.
Railroad carloads excluding intermodal fell 7.2% to 278,393 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.