January 24, 2024
Class I

AAR: North American Rail Volume Down Through Week Three

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor

Through the first three weeks of 2024 (ending Jan. 20), total North American carload and intermodal traffic dipped 5.6% from the same point last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Jan. 24. The U.S. and Canada experienced declines, while Mexico saw a gain.

North American rail volume for the first three weeks of this year on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 1,778,528 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 1,272,263 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.3% from 2023; in Canada, 424,647 carloads and intermodal units, down 9.8%; and in Mexico, 81,618 carloads and intermodal units, up 17.7%.

For the week ending Jan. 20, 2024, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 397,553 carloads and intermodal units, falling 13.2% from the prior-year period, according to AAR. This comprises 173,371 carloads, down 22.4% from 2023, and 224,182 containers and trailers, down 4.5% compared with last year.

None of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 21,055 carloads, to 47,731; nonmetallic minerals, down 11,953 carloads, to 18,628; and grain, down 5,246 carloads, to 15,752.

U.S. railroads for the first three weeks of this year reported cumulative volume of 594,824 carloads, down 10.8% from the same point in 2023; and 677,439 intermodal units, up 0.2% from 2023.

North American rail volume for the week ending Jan. 20, 2024, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 265,838 carloads, down 20.3% from the same week last year, and 289,982 intermodal units, down 6.0% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 555,820 carloads and intermodal units, dropping 13.5%.

Canadian railroads reported 74,967 carloads for the week ending Jan. 20, 2024, a 21.5% fall-off, and 54,327 intermodal units, a 15.6% decrease compared with the prior-year period.