The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 22, 2023.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 473,736 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending July 22 were 222,454 carloads, down 1.3 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 251,282 containers and trailers, down 4.8 percent compared to 2022.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,150 carloads, to 14,641; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,780 carloads, to 34,583; and metallic ores and metals, up 886 carloads, to 21,354. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 4,417 carloads, to 14,981; coal, down 3,251 carloads, to 64,474; and forest products, down 852 carloads, to 7,748.
For the first 29 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,488,884 carloads, up 0.4 percent from the same point last year; and 6,828,178 intermodal units, down 9.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 29 weeks of 2023 was 13,317,062 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 5.1 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 22, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,062 carloads, up 0.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 331,880 intermodal units, down 6.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 661,942 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.0 percent. North American rail volume for the first 29 weeks of 2023 was 18,690,310 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.2 percent compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 89,701 carloads for the week, up 4.8 percent, and 68,972 intermodal units, down 11.6 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 29 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,567,335 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.7 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 17,907 carloads for the week, up 1.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,626 intermodal units, down 3.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 29 weeks of 2023 was 805,913 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.7 percent from the same point last year.
To view the weekly rail traffic report, click here.
