U.S. rail shipments are dropping. The Association of American Railroads said Thursday that freight carried on the tracks for the week ending November 15 totaled 309,099 carloads, 9.1 percent lower than a year ago.

Volume fell 6.5 percent in the West, where cargo is primarily carried by Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. Volumes sank 12.8 percent in the East, where freight is mostly hauled by CSX and Virginia-based Norfolk Southern.

So far this year, shipments on U.S. rails are down 0.9 percent from the same period in 2007.

Railroads deliver about 40 percent of all goods between U.S. cities, making shipment figures an economic indicator.

Norfolk Southern operates approximately 21,000 miles of tracks in Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia and 20 other states.