by Clifton Linton, Editor, Energy Transport Insider

Petroleum and petroleum product rail traffic was down 19.6% for the week ended Sept. 17, as compared to the same week a year prior. Carloads totaled 18,084, the Association of American Railroads said today in its weekly release of rail traffic statistics.

Through the first 37 weeks of the year, North America has seen 667,921 total carloads of petroleum and petroleum products. That was down 19.6% versus 2015.

The decline in carloads has largely been tied to a decline in crude oil prices earlier this year, which in turn caused many drilli...