US Rail Traffic Carrying Petroleum And Petroleum Products

Don just sent me this PDF link -- weekly summary of US rail traffic.

Take a quick look; look at the amount of petroleum products moved by rail:

• cars, this week, vs one year ago: up almost 30%
• cumulative, or average per week, vs one year ago: up an astounding 50%

It would be interesting to see any data point that has increased 50% over last year.

Now, go back, and compare that 50% with any of the other data points. Grain, surprisingly, dropped 20%. If it were not for oil, a) the railroads would be in huge trouble; b) the US would be in even worse economic shape. Based on this little bit of data, one could argue that it's the energy industry (i.e., the oil and gas industry) keeping this economy afloat. And BBBB (Ben Bernanke's bond buying or whatever he's buying) that's keeping the stock market going).

Train wreck, first used this past year, by Montana's Senator Baucus, may be a most apt term applied to much more than O'BamaCare this year. 

But I digress. A huge "thank you" to Don for the link.