carloadings this last month were up 5%  y-o-y for N.America

up 5% for Europe,

but off 2.6% for the aussies.  

for the u.s., this is the best number we have seen for a long time.  

btw,... no every category was up,  but most categories were up,  and many were up very nicely.  

so far it looks like maybe the 2nd quarter economy will look better than the 1st quarter.   this may be why the dow  is starting to break up out of that triangle.