The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 12, 2021.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 529,635 carloads and intermodal units, up 17.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending June 12 were 241,628 carloads, up 21.8 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 288,007 containers and trailers, up 14.8 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.
All of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included coal, up 19,229 carloads, to 69,263; metallic ores and metals, up 8,242 carloads, to 22,789; and chemicals, up 5,489 carloads, to 32,967.
For the first 23 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 5,296,418 carloads, up 8.3 percent from the same point last year; and 6,494,976 intermodal units, up 18.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 23 weeks of 2021 was 11,791,394 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 13.7 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending June 12, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 338,783 carloads, up 16.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 377,780 intermodal units, up 14.5 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 716,563 carloads and intermodal units, up 15.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 23 weeks of 2021 was 16,106,255 carloads and intermodal units, up 12.2 percent compared with 2020.
Canadian railroads reported 75,753 carloads for the week, up 4.9 percent, and 73,492 intermodal units, up 14.3 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 23 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,486,918 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 9 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 21,402 carloads for the week, up 2.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 16,281 intermodal units, up 9.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 23 weeks of 2021 was 827,943 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.7 percent from the same point last year.
To view the U.S. Rail Traffic charts, click here.
