The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 20, 2024.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 397,553 carloads and intermodal units, down 13.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending January 20 were 173,371 carloads, down 22.4 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 224,182 containers and trailers, down 4.5 percent compared to 2023.

None of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023.  Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 21,055 carloads, to 47,731; nonmetallic minerals, down 11,953 carloads, to 18,628; and grain, down 5,246 carloads, to 15,752.

For the first three weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 594,824 carloads, down 10.8 percent from the same point last year; and 677,439 intermodal units, up 0.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first three weeks of 2024 was 1,272,263 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 5.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending January 20, 2024, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 265,838 carloads, down 20.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 289,982 intermodal units, down 6.0 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 555,820 carloads and intermodal units, down 13.5 percent. North American rail volume for the first three weeks of 2024 was 1,778,528 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.6 percent compared with 2023.

Canadian railroads reported 74,967 carloads for the week, down 21.5 percent, and 54,327 intermodal units, down 15.6 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first three weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 424,647 carloads, containers, and trailers, down 9.8 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 17,500 carloads for the week, up 18.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,473 intermodal units, up 24.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first three weeks of 2024 was 81,618 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 17.7 percent from the same point last year.

To view the Rail Traffic charts, click here.