AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Uptick Continues in Week 50

For the week ending Dec. 16 (Week 50), total U.S. rail traffic was 502,583 carloads and intermodal units, rising 7.6% from the prior-year period, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Dec. 20.

Total rail traffic for the week ending Dec. 16, 2023, comprised 234,449 carloads, up 6.5% from 2022, and 268,134 containers and trailers, up 8.6% from the same week last year, according to AAR.

All of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included coal, up 3,873 carloads, to 65,450; grain, up 2,599 carloads, to 24,275; and chemicals, up 2,337 carloads, to 32,483.

For the first 50 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,288,867 carloads, up 0.3% from the year-ago period; and 12,222,775 intermodal units, down 5.5% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 50 weeks of 2023 came in at 23,511,642 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 2.8% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the first 50 weeks of this year (ending Dec. 16) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 347,860 carloads, an increase of 4.7% compared with the same week last year, and 352,485 intermodal units, up 6.7% percent. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 700,345 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.7%. North American rail volume for the first 50 weeks of 2023 came in at 32,902,626 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7% compared with 2022.

For the week ending Dec. 16, 2023, Canadian railroads reported 97,399 carloads, up 4.3%, and 72,910 intermodal units, up 2.4% compared with the same point last year. For the first 50 weeks of 2023, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 8,004,143 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.3%.

For the week ending Dec. 16, 2023, Mexican railroads reported 16,012 carloads, dropping 13.5% compared with the same week last year, and 11,441 intermodal units, decreasing 7.3%. For the first 50 weeks of 2023, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,386,841 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.3% from the same point last year.