Investopedia: Are The Rails Starting To Spin Their Wheels?

Economies don't turn on a dime, so "more of the same" is usually the order of the day. The uncertainty that really become apparent early in the summer is still the dominant theme of the U.S. economy. Given that demand for railroad carriage is a derivative of economic activity, it is not so surprising to see that the trend in rail car traffic has likewise become uncertain. Investors should note, though, that while growth is no longer unequivocal, there are still positive trends at work. 

August Rail Numbers  
In the latest Rail Time Indicators from the Association of American Railroads, August carload traffic in the United States fell 0.3% from the year-ago level and remained flat with the prior month. Intermodal traffic climbed 0.4% and 0.3% for the same time periods. Of the 20 reporting categories of traffic, 12 showed gains in the month of August - consistent with July, but down from 16 in the year-ago period.

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