The author misses the use of intermodal rail cars: they come off of container ships, with IMPORTED GOODS in them if they are inbound from the coasts. If they are outbound toward the coasts, they are EXPORTS.
We want exports, do not want an increase in imports.
I have been looking into the stats concerning containers. It is true the international traffic (both export and import) use containers. These are typically found on double stack trains. However, there is a rapidly growing area in container traffic, domestic container service. Companies like JB Hunt, EMP (link attached), Schneider, FedEx, UPS and others are providing containers for domestic only service. Why? Because railroads charge shippers the total weight they are hauling. In the past, trailers were used. The total weight included the tare weight of the trailer chassis, frame, wheels, fifth wheel, etc. was charged to the shipper by the railroad. For a large shipper like JB Hunt, the cost of shipping tare weight car really added up big time. The remedy was to reduce/eliminate the tare weight: Containers. Hence, one is seeing a lot of containers trains (double stacks).
In the past, container trains (in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s) meant purely international trade. Now, it is a mix of both international and domestic trade. If you see containers with JB Hunt, EMP, Schneider, Fed Ex, UPS etc., there is a very good chance that this is all domestic traffic.
It is not a surprise that intermodalism is leading economic recovery. Not necessarily of international trade, but the the versatility of intermodalism now offered to domestic traffic.
https://www.up.com/customers/premium/emp/index.htm