The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 11, 2023.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 473,972 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending February 11 were 233,382 carloads, down 1.6 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 240,590 containers and trailers, down 10.2 percent compared to 2022.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 1,963 carloads, to 30,253; petroleum and petroleum products, up 987 carloads, to 10,662; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 510 carloads, to 17,330. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 3,173 carloads, to 21,241; chemicals, down 2,015 carloads, to 32,667; and forest products, down 966 carloads, to 9,369.
For the first six weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 1,373,778 carloads, up 1 percent from the same point last year; and 1,393,404 intermodal units, down 7.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first six weeks of 2023 was 2,767,182 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.6 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending February 11, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 335,732 carloads, up 1.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 316,515 intermodal units, down 9.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 652,247 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first six weeks of 2023 was 3,812,418 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.8 percent compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 80,828 carloads for the week, up 10.5 percent, and 59,672 intermodal units, down 11.4 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first six weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 833,584 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 5.1 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 21,522 carloads for the week, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 16,253 intermodal units, up 4.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first six weeks of 2023 was 211,652 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 4.3 percent from the same point last year.
To view the weekly traffic charts, click here.
