AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Results Mixed as 2023 Begins
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
(Norfolk Southern Photograph)
U.S. freight carload traffic gained ground as 2023 began, while U.S. intermodal volume dropped, according to a Jan. 11 report from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
For the week ending Jan. 7, 2023, total U.S. carloads came in at 212,962, up 1.4% from the same week in 2022, and U.S. intermodal volume was 203,527 containers and trailers, down 11.8% from last year, AAR reported. Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 416,489 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.5% from the prior-year period.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week last year. They included coal, up 8,870 carloads, to 63,928; petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,215 carloads, to 10,119; and motor vehicles and parts, up 960 carloads, to 11,752. Commodity groups that posted declines were chemicals, down 7,016 carloads, to 27,356; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,691 carloads, to 7,016; and forest products, down 1,117 carloads, to 8,574.
North American rail volume for the week ending Jan. 7, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 305,444 carloads, a 5.4% gain over the same week last year, and 271,276 intermodal units, a 9.4% decrease compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 576,720 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.1%. North American rail volume for the first week of 2023 was 576,720 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.1% compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 72,040 carloads for the week ending Jan. 7, 2023, rising 19.5%, and 54,498 intermodal units, falling 4.0% from the same week in 2022. For the first week of 2023, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 126,538 carloads, containers and trailers, increasing 8.1%.
Mexican railroads reported 20,442 carloads for the week ending Jan. 7, 2023, up 5.5% from the same point last year, and 13,251 intermodal units, up 10.8%. Their cumulative volume for the first week of 2023 was 33,693 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.5% from the year-ago period.
