AAR: North American Rail Volume Down Through 29 Weeks
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
For the first 29 weeks of 2023 (ending July 22), total U.S. weekly rail traffic dipped 4.2% from the same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) July 26 report. Both Canada and the U.S. saw declines, while Mexico saw an increase.
North American rail volume for the first 29 weeks of the year (ending July 22) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 18,690,310 carloads and intermodal units. Cumulative volume in Canada was 4,567,335 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.7%; in Mexico, 805,913 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.7%; and in the U.S., 13,317,062 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1%.
According to AAR, for the week ending July 22, 2023, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 473,736 carloads and intermodal units, falling 3.2% compared with the same week last year. This comprises 222,454 carloads—down 1.3% from the prior-year period—and 251,282 containers and trailers—down 4.8% compared with 2022.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,150 carloads, to 14,641; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,780 carloads, to 34,583; and metallic ores and metals, up 886 carloads, to 21,354. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 4,417 carloads, to 14,981; coal, down 3,251 carloads, to 64,474; and forest products, down 852 carloads, to 7,748.
For the first 29 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,488,884 carloads, up 0.4% from the same point last year; and 6,828,178 intermodal units, down 9.8% from last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 22, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,062 carloads, up 0.4% compared with the same week last year, and 331,880 intermodal units, down 6.3% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 661,942 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.0%. North American rail volume for the first 29 weeks of 2023 was 18,690,310 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.2% compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 89,701 carloads for the week, up 4.8%, and 68,972 intermodal units, down 11.6% compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 29 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,567,335 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.7%.
Mexican railroads reported 17,907 carloads for the week, up 1.9% compared with the same week last year, and 11,626 intermodal units, down 3.3%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 29 weeks of 2023 was 805,913 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.7% from the same point last year.
