The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 27, 2024. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 467,222 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending January 27 were 208,131 carloads, down 9.0 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 259,091 containers and trailers, up 10.1 percent compared to 2023.
Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They were petroleum and petroleum products, up 688 carloads, to 10,660; and motor vehicles and parts, up 2 carloads, to 13,757. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 11,014 carloads, to 57,231; nonmetallic minerals, down 5,919 carloads, to 23,370; and grain, down 2,316 carloads, to 21,025.
For the first four weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 802,955 carloads, down 10.4 percent from the same point last year; and 936,530 intermodal units, up 2.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first four weeks of 2024 was 1,739,485 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.7 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending January 27, 2024, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 313,288 carloads, down 7.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 339,611 intermodal units, up 7.4 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 652,899 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first four weeks of 2024 was 2,431,427 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.2 percent compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 87,086 carloads for the week, down 7.3 percent, and 67,580 intermodal units, down 4.2 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first four weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 579,313 carloads, containers, and trailers, down 8.8 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 18,071 carloads for the week, up 21.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,940 intermodal units, up 25.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first four weeks of 2024 was 112,629 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 19.2 percent from the same point last year.
To view the Rail Traffic charts, click here.
