The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 13, 2024.
This week’s total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 483,806 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending July 13 were 215,400, down 4.3 percent from the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 268,406 containers and trailers, up 6.3 percent from 2023.
Five of the ten carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 5,557 carloads, to 21,606; farm products excl. grain and food, up 736 carloads to 17,137; and forest products, up 427 carloads to 8,401. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 9,415 carloads, to 55,673; nonmetallic minerals, down 3,119 carloads, to 30,872; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2,910 carloads, to 11,763.
For the first 28 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 5,979,804 carloads, down 4.4 percent from the same point last year and 7,138,303 intermodal units, up 8.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 28 weeks of 2024 was 13,118,107 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.2 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 13, 2024, on ten reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 318,065 carloads, down 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 349,079 intermodal units, up 10.9 percent compared with the previous year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 667,144 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 28 weeks of 2024 was 18,448,275 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 86,936 carloads for the week, down 0.2 percent, and 68,356 intermodal units, up 37.7 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 28 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,499,547 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 2.0 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 15,729 carloads for the week, down 15.7 percent compared to last year, and 12,317 intermodal units, down 3.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 28 weeks of 2024 was 830,621 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 6.3 percent from last year.
To view the rail charts, click here.
