Carload traffic drops sharply in most recent week

For the week ending May 23, 2015, U.S. rail traffic dipped nearly 3%, with a gain in intermodal only partially offsetting a sharp decline in carload traffic. The same held true for combined North American traffic for U.S., Canadian and Mexican carriers. U.S. traffic was relatively flat for the year’s first 19 weeks of 2015.

Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 554,477 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7% compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported.

Total carloads for the week ending May 23, 2015 were 273,387 carloads, down 9.1% compared with the same week in 2014, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 281,090 containers and trailers, up 4.3% compared to 2014.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2014. They were: miscellaneous products, up 10.4% to 8,495 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, up 3.3% to 18,674 carloads; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1.5% to 14,783 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2014 included: metallic ores and metals, down 17.3% to 24,199; coal, down 16.5% to 93,796 carloads; and nonmetallic minerals, down 8.8% to 35,622 carloads.

For the first 19 weeks of 2015, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,586,038 carloads, down 2.6% from the same point last year; and 5,240,710 intermodal units, up 2% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 20 weeks of 2015 was 10,826,748 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 0.4% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending May 23, 2015 on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 366,991 carloads, down 8.9% compared with the same week last year, and 353,380 intermodal units, up 4.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America, was 720,371 carloads and intermodal units, down 3%. North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2015 was 14,122,301 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6% compared with 2014.

Canadian railroads reported 77,033 carloads for the week, down 10.5%, and 61,100 intermodal units, up 4.1% compared with the same week in 2014. For the first 20 weeks of 2015, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,765,222 carloads, containers and trailers, up 4.4%.

Mexican railroads reported 16,571 carloads for the week, up 2.9% compared with the same week last year, and 11,190 intermodal units, down 2.8%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 20 weeks of 2015 was 530,331 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.7% from the same point last year.