The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 16, 2024.
Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 474,596 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 16 were 219,586 carloads, down 0.6 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 255,010 containers and trailers, up 13.8 percent compared to 2023.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 3,638 carloads, to 21,108; chemicals, up 2,186 carloads, to 33,134; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,836 carloads, to 9,954. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 12,033 carloads, to 55,990; metallic ores and metals, down 903 carloads, to 18,683; and forest products, down 92 carloads, to 8,431.
For the first 11 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 2,344,887 carloads, down 4.1 percent from the same point last year; and 2,759,413 intermodal units, up 9.0 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 11 weeks of 2024 was 5,104,300 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.5 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending March 16, 2024, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 332,985 carloads, up 1.0 percent compared with the same week last year, and 338,651 intermodal units, up 12.1 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 671,636 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 11 weeks of 2024 was 7,138,853 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8 percent compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 96,016 carloads for the week, up 6.5 percent, and 71,109 intermodal units, up 7.6 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 11 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,721,727 carloads, containers, and trailers, down 1.1 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 17,383 carloads for the week, down 7.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,532 intermodal units, up 6.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 11 weeks of 2024 was 312,826 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.7 percent from the same point last year.
