July 13, 2022
Class I

AAR: North American Rail Volume Down Through 27 Weeks

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor

(Photograph Courtesy of CP via Twitter)

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) now has 27 weeks of rail traffic data for 2022 (ending July 9). Total North American carload and intermodal traffic dipped 3.4% from the same point last year—falling 3.1% in the U.S. and 4.4% in Canada, and rising 1% in Mexico.

North American rail volume for the first 27 weeks of this year (ending July 9) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 18,170,988 carloads and intermodal units. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 13,310,243; in Canada, 3,863,292; and in Mexico, 997,453 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.

According to the AAR, for the week ending July 9, 2022, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 437,600 carloads and intermodal units, decreasing 3.1% compared with the same week last year. This comprises 207,450 carloads—down 1.3% from the prior-year period—and 230,150 containers and trailers—down 4.7% compared with 2021.

It is the 20th consecutive week that total traffic has declined. (Total traffic gains were last seen in Week 7, which ended Feb. 17, 2022.)

For the week ending July 9, 2022, four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted gains vs. the same week in 2021. They included coal, up 1,633 carloads, to 60,105; farm products excluding grain, and food, up 1,056 carloads, to 15,705; and motor vehicles and parts, up 409 carloads, to 10,725. Commodity groups that posted decreases included metallic ores and metals, down 4,422 carloads, to 18,019; chemicals, down 1,038 carloads, to 30,163; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 378 carloads, to 9,395.

For the first 27 weeks of 2022, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,201,367 carloads, down 0.2% from the same point last year; and 7,108,876 intermodal units, down 6.1% from last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending July 9, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 302,763 carloads, up 1.9% compared with the same week last year, and 311,439 intermodal units, up 0.3% vs. 2021. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 614,202 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1%.