The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 25, 2024.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 485,232 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending May 25 were 217,744 carloads, down 6.9 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 267,488 containers and trailers, up 8.9 percent compared to 2023.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They were petroleum and petroleum products, up 2,073 carloads, to 11,337; chemicals, up 1,540 carloads, to 33,439; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 600 carloads, to 17,091. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 12,617 carloads, to 50,216; nonmetallic minerals, down 4,158 carloads, to 30,981; and metallic ores and metals, down 2,361 carloads, to 21,689.
For the first 21 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 4,477,274 carloads, down 5.0 percent from the same point last year; and 5,324,623 intermodal units, up 8.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 21 weeks of 2024 was 9,801,897 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.9 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 25, 2024, on 10 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 320,227 carloads, down 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 350,485 intermodal units, up 5.7 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 670,712 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7 percent. North American rail volume for the first 21 weeks of 2024 was 13,821,331 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.0 percent compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 84,882 carloads for the week, down 1.3 percent, and 70,899 intermodal units, down 5.6 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 21 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,385,766 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 0.7 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 17,601 carloads for the week, up 24.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,098 intermodal units, up 12.3 percent.
Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 21 weeks of 2024 was 633,668 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 11.2 percent from the same point last year.
