For Week 20, Carloads, Intermodal Volume Decline

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
image description

U.S rail traffic in Week 20 (ending May 20, 2023) lagged the same week last year—falling 5.2%, according to the Association of American Railroads’ May 24 report. Both carloads and intermodal volume were down.

According to the AAR, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 470,694 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending May 20, comprising 225,093 carloads—down 0.4% from the same week last year—and 245,601 containers and trailers—down 9.3% from 2022.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 1,953 carloads, to 15,737; metallic ores and metals, up 1,846 carloads, to 22,379; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,073 carloads, to 32,870. Commodity groups that registered decreases included grain, down 2,600 carloads, to 17,807; coal, down 2,537 carloads, to 63,072; and chemicals, down 816 carloads, to 31,588.

For the first 20 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,485,236 carloads, up 0.6% from the same point last year; and 4,658,692 intermodal units, down 10.8% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 20 weeks of the year was 9,143,928 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.6% drop-off from 2022.

North American rail volume for the week ending May 20, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,235 carloads, up 0.3% from the same week last year, and 331,392 intermodal units, down 9.3% from 2022. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 661,627 carloads and intermodal units, falling 4.8%. North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2023 came in at 12,894,181 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.1% decrease compared with 2022.

Canadian railroads reported 87,662 carloads for the week ending May 20, 2023, increasing 1.3%, and 74,548 intermodal units, decreasing 10.3% compared with the same week last year. For the first 20 weeks of 2023, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,199,107 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.4%.

Mexican railroads reported 17,480 carloads for the week ending May 20, 2023, rising 4.3% from the year-earlier period, and 11,243 intermodal units, dipping 3.1%. Their cumulative volume for the first 20 weeks of this year was 551,146 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.4% from the same point in 2022.

Tags: , ,