AAR: Carloads, Intermodal Post Double-Digit Gains, Again
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive EditorBoth U.S. carloads and intermodal volume for the week ending May 15, 2021, rose sharply over the same point in 2020—31.6% and 25.6%, respectively, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported May 19.
With 242,806 carloads and 291,066 intermodal containers and trailers, total U.S. weekly rail traffic came in at 533,872, up 28.3% vs. the same week last year.
All 10 carload commodity groups for week ending May 15, 2021 posted an increase vs. the prior-year period. They included coal, up 22,374 carloads, to 68,327; motor vehicles and parts, up 9,598 carloads, to 12,466; and metallic ores and metals, up 9,592 carloads, to 23,686.
For the first 19 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,341,762 carloads, up 5.2% from the same point last year; and 5,371,854 intermodal units, up 18.5% from 2020. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 19 weeks of the year was 9,713,616 carloads and intermodal units, rising 12.1% over last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 15, 2021, on the 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 341,527 carloads, up 29%, and 384,770 intermodal units, up 22.7%, vs. the comparable 2020 period. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 726,297 carloads and intermodal units, rising 25.6%. North American rail volume for the first 19 weeks of 2021 was 13,290,858 carloads and intermodal units, a 10.9% increase compared with 2020.
Canadian railroads reported 78,290 carloads for the week, up 21.6%, and 77,499 intermodal units, up 15.9%, compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 19 weeks of 2021, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,883,730 carloads, containers and trailers, an 8% rise.
Mexican railroads reported 20,431 carloads for the week ending May 15, 2021, a gain of 28.4% over the prior-year period, and 16,205 intermodal units, a 7.9% boost. Their cumulative volume for the first 19 weeks of 2021 was 693,512 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.8% from the same point last year.