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May 13, 2005 12:00 PM, EDT

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ail intermodal volume rose 5.6% to 222,674 trailers or containers for the week ended May 7, the Association of American Railroads said.

Trailer volume rose 1.6% while container jumped 7%, AAR said in its weekly industry report.

Rail car loadings rose 3.7% to 350,678 for the week. AAR estimated total volume for the week was 32.7 billion ton-miles, up 4.1% from a year earlier.

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.