The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 21, 2023.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 505,985 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending October 21 were 234,893 carloads, up 1.5 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 271,092 containers and trailers, up 2.1 percent compared to 2022.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included metallic ores and metals, up 3,855 carloads, to 22,463; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,595 carloads, to 33,966; and chemicals, up 1,076 carloads, to 31,517. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 2,374 carloads, to 20,367; coal, down 1,442 carloads, to 67,459; and forest products, down 390 carloads, to 7,805.
For the first 42 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,468,896 carloads, up 0.3 percent from the same point last year; and 10,133,251 intermodal units, down 7.4 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 42 weeks of 2023 was 19,602,147 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.8 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending October 21, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 348,134 carloads, up 0.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 355,428 intermodal units, down 0.1 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 703,562 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first 42 weeks of 2023 was 27,452,637 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.5 percent compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 96,761 carloads for the week, down 1.0 percent, and 72,717 intermodal units, down 5.0 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 42 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,677,072 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3.5 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 16,480 carloads for the week, down 8.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,619 intermodal units, down 13.8 percent.
Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 42 weeks of 2023 was 1,173,418 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.4 percent from the same point last year.
To view the rail traffic charts, click here.
