The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending November 13, 2021.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 502,613 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending November 13 were 235,867 carloads, up 1.7 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 266,746 containers and trailers, down 9.7 percent compared to 2020.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included coal, up 6,917 carloads, to 67,225; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,913 carloads, to 30,983; and chemicals, up 1,555 carloads, to 33,513. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2020 included grain, down 3,772 carloads, to 25,336; motor vehicles and parts, down 2,800 carloads, to 12,690; and miscellaneous carloads, down 729 carloads, to 9,414.
For the first 45 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 10,428,104 carloads, up 7.2 percent from the same point last year; and 12,424,895 intermodal units, up 7.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 45 weeks of 2021 was 22,852,999 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 7.2 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending November 13, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 334,933 carloads, up 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 352,266 intermodal units, down 9.1 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 687,199 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.5 percent. North American rail volume for the first 45 weeks of 2021 was 31,165,841 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.2 percent compared with 2020.
Canadian railroads reported 77,772 carloads for the week, down 2.7 percent, and 70,295 intermodal units, down 9 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 45 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,678,287 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 3.5 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 21,294 carloads for the week, up 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,225 intermodal units, up 1.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 45 weeks of 2021 was 1,634,555 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.9 percent from the same point last year.
To view the weekly rail traffic charts, click here.
