AAR: North American Rail Volume Down Through 44 Weeks
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
BNSF photo
Through the first 44 weeks of 2023 (ending Nov. 4), total North American carload and intermodal traffic decreased 3.4% from the same point last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Nov. 8. Both the U.S. and Canada experienced declines, while Mexico saw a gain.
North American rail volume for the first 44 weeks of this year (ending Nov. 4) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads was 28,833,863 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. came in at 20,586,243 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.7% from 2022; in Canada, 7,008,124 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.4%; and in Mexico, 1,239,496 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4%.
For the week ending Nov. 4, 2023, U.S. Class I railroads moved a total of 484,757 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.7% from the prior-year period, according to the AAR. This comprises 224,415 carloads—down 5.2% from 2022—and 260,342 containers and trailers—up 1.5% compared with last year.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They were motor vehicles and parts, up 357 carloads, to 14,841; farm products excl. grain, and food, up 274 carloads, to 17,101; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 267 carloads, to 9,527. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 3,655 carloads, to 21,395; coal, down 3,017 carloads, to 65,298; and nonmetallic minerals, down 2,562 carloads, to 31,218.
For the first 44 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,920,836 carloads, up 0.1% from the same point last year; and 10,665,407 intermodal units, down 7.0% from 2022.
North American rail volume for the week ending Nov. 4, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 337,189 carloads, down 2.0% from the prior-year period, and 339,433 intermodal units, down 0.5% from 2022. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 676,622 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.2%.
Canadian railroads reported 97,307 carloads for the week ending Nov. 4, 2023, up 2.5%, and 67,421 intermodal units, a 10.7% decline from the same week last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,467 carloads for the week ending Nov. 4, 2023, up 24.2% vs. the prior-year period, and 11,670 intermodal units, up 29.6%.
