AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Uptick Continues in Week 47

(BNSF Photograph)

For the week ending Nov. 25, 2023 (Week 47), total U.S. rail traffic was 415,332 carloads and intermodal units, rising 2.4% from the prior-year period, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Nov. 29. It is the third consecutive week of gains for carloads and intermodal containers and trailers combined.

Total rail traffic for the week ending Nov. 25, 2023, comprised 195,948 carloads, down 2.5% from the same week last year, and 219,384 intermodal units, up 7.1% from 2022, according to the AAR.

The two prior weeks saw increases in both carloads and intermodal units:

1. For the week ending Nov. 18, 2023, the U.S. Class I railroads moved a total of 501,416 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.0% from the same point last year. This included 237,416 carloads, up 3.8%, and 264,000 containers and trailers, up 4.1% from the same week in 2022.
2. For the week ending Nov. 11, 2023, the U.S. Class I’s hauled 497,348 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4% from last year. This included 233,745 carloads, up 2.3%, and 263,603 containers and trailers, up 4.4% compared with 2022.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase for the week ending Nov. 25, 2023, vs. the same point in 2022. They included petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,034 carloads, to 8,642; metallic ores and metals, up 880 carloads, to 18,457; and chemicals, up 505 carloads, to 27,582. Commodity groups that posted declines included miscellaneous carloads, down 3,804 carloads, to 6,256; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,701 carloads, to 21,525; and grain, down 1,328 carloads, to 17,961.

For the first 47 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,587,945 carloads, up 0.2% from the year-ago period; and 11,412,394 intermodal units, down 6.3% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 47 weeks of 2023 came in at 22,000,339 carloads and intermodal units, dipping 3.3% from last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Nov. 25, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 302,649 carloads, a 2.3% fall-off from the same week last year, and 299,802 intermodal units, a 6.1% increase from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 602,451 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.7%. North American rail volume for the first 47 weeks of 2023 came in at 30,823,776 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.0% compared with 2022.

Canadian railroads reported 91,357 carloads for the week ending Nov. 25, 2023, a 4.5% drop-off, and 69,360 intermodal units, a 0.5% rise from the 2022 period. For the first 47 weeks of 2023, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,500,788 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3.3%.

Mexican railroads reported 15,344 carloads for the week ending Nov. 25, 2023, a 17.5% gain from the same week last year, and 11,058 intermodal units, a 25.4% increase. Their cumulative volume for the first 47 weeks of this year was 1,322,649 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.3% from the 2022 period.