The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 10, 2021.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 513,724 carloads and intermodal units, up 24.5 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending April 10 were 233,300 carloads, up 17.4 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280,424 containers and trailers, up 31.2 percent compared to 2020.

For some rail traffic categories, percentage changes for the current week compared with the same week in 2020 are inflated because of the widespread shutdowns — and a subsequent large reduction in rail volumes — that impacted many economic sectors last year at this time.

Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 9,854 carloads, to 12,044; coal, up 9,543 carloads, to 62,136; and chemicals, up 4,984 carloads, to 33,988. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2020: nonmetallic minerals, down 271 carloads, to 31,319.

For the first 14 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 3,144,397 carloads, down 1.3 percent from the same point last year; and 3,899,970 intermodal units, up 14.3 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 14 weeks of 2021 was 7,044,367 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 6.8 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending April 10, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,230 carloads, up 16 percent compared with the same week last year, and 372,251 intermodal units, up 28.4 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 705,481 carloads and intermodal units, up 22.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first 14 weeks of 2021 was 9,664,405 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.2 percent compared with 2020.

Canadian railroads reported 79,509 carloads for the week, up 7.7 percent, and 75,499 intermodal units, up 14.4 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 14 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,120,832 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 6.9 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 20,421 carloads for the week, up 38.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 16,328 intermodal units, up 62.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 14 weeks of 2021 was 499,206 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 4 percent from the same point last year.

To view the U.S. Traffic charts, click here.