The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 29, 2022, as well as volumes for October 2022.

U.S. railroads originated 952,074 carloads in October 2022, up 0.5 percent, or 5,121 carloads, from October 2021. U.S. railroads also originated 1,062,422 containers and trailers in October 2022, down 1.4 percent, or 15,095 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in October 2022 were 2,014,496, down 0.5 percent, or 9,974 carloads and intermodal units from October 2021.

In October 2022, seven of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw carload gains compared with October 2021. These included: coal, up 14,937 carloads or 5.8 percent; crushed stone, sand & gravel, up 8,615 carloads or 10.7 percent; and motor vehicles & parts, up 5,998 carloads or 11.4 percent. Commodities that saw declines in October 2022 from October 2021 included: chemicals, down 6,195 carloads or 4.8 percent; primary metal products, down 4,645 carloads or 13.2 percent; and all other carloads, down 4,209 carloads or 16.8 percent.

“October is usually one of the highest-volume months of the year for rail carloads, and it’s the top month so far this year,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “Carloads of grain surged upward as U.S. producers sought alternatives to the Mississippi River constraints while motor vehicles had one of their better months since pre-pandemic times. Carloads of chemicals were down in part because of high natural gas feedstock prices. U.S. intermodal volumes remained subdued in October thanks largely to high inventories at many retailers, lower port volumes, and still-scarce warehouse capacity for many rail intermodal customers.”

Excluding coal, carloads were down 9,816 carloads, or 1.4 percent, in October 2022 from October 2021. Excluding coal and grain, carloads were down 8,950 carloads, or 1.5 percent.

Total U.S. carload traffic for the first 10 months of 2022 was 9,971,376 carloads, up 0.1 percent, or 14,912 carloads, from the same period last year; and 11,321,976 intermodal units, down 4.8 percent, or 567,366 containers and trailers, from last year.

Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 43 weeks of 2022 was 21,293,352 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 2.5 percent compared to last year.

Week Ending October 29, 2022

Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 514,457 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 29 were 244,425 carloads, up 2.6 percent compared with the same week in 2021, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 270,032 containers and trailers, down 0.7 percent compared to 2021.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2021. They included coal, up 4,036 carloads, to 70,984; nonmetallic minerals, up 3,631 carloads, to 34,438; and motor vehicles and parts, up 2,365 carloads, to 15,002. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 included chemicals, down 2,147 carloads, to 31,092; metallic ores and metals, down 1,916 carloads, to 22,108; and forest products, down 805 carloads, to 8,908.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 29, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 347,651 carloads, up 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 355,130 intermodal units, down 0.9 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 702,781 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 43 weeks of 2022 was 29,189,693 carloads and intermodal units, down 2 percent compared with 2021.

Canadian railroads reported 80,084 carloads for the week, up 0.4 percent, and 67,951 intermodal units, down 2.3 percent compared with the same week in 2021. For the first 43 weeks of 2022, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,270,727 carloads, containers, and trailers, down 1.8 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 23,142 carloads for the week, up 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 17,147 intermodal units, up 1.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 43 weeks of 2022 was 1,625,614 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.9 percent from the same point last year.

To view the weekly charts, click here.