Investopedia: October Rail Data - A Tale Of 2 Economies

There is no question that times are still very hard for many people. Unemployment hovers in the 9% range, foreclosures and a depressing housing market weigh on many communities, and nobody seems to feel especially comfortable with where the economy is at. And yet, if you look at the rail data from the American Association of Railroads' "Rail Time Indicators," there are more signs of strength than you might imagine. While many (if not all recessions) seem to break some prior rule about what can, or cannot happen, in prelude to a recession, it is hard to see how recent data out of the transports is indicative of an economy toppling over.

October's Data  
After a rough patch in the spring and summer, it looks like rail traffic is back on the right direction. In the U.S., rail carloads rose 1.7% from the prior year and 0.5% from September. Excluding coal, the year-over-year growth was 2.1% and excluding coal and grain, the figure jumps to a healthy-looking 5.2%. Traffic levels are now closer to the peak year of 2006 than the trough year of 2009 - encouraging to those who will see further room for growth and perhaps discouraging to those who might ask "are things really better?"

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