North American Rail Volume Decline Continues Through Week 18: AAR
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Through the first 18 weeks of 2023 (ending May 6), total North American carload and intermodal traffic dipped 4% from the same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) May 10 report. Both the U.S. and Canada experienced drop-offs, while Mexico saw an increase.
North American rail volume for the first 18 weeks of this year (ending May 6) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 11,601,657 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 8,370,864 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.6% from 2022; in Canada, 2,535,230 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.3%; and in Mexico, 695,563 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%.
According to the AAR, for the week ending May 6, 2023, U.S. Class I railroads carried a total of 471,859 carloads and intermodal units, falling 6.6% from the same week last year. This comprises 231,718 carloads—down 0.04% from the prior-year period—and 240,141 containers and trailers—down 12.1% compared with 2022.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included metallic ores and metals, up 1,385 carloads, to 20,697; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,359 carloads, to 35,326; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,192 carloads, to 10,133. Commodity groups that posted decreases included miscellaneous carloads, down 2,804 carloads, to 6,788; chemicals, down 1,179 carloads, to 33,084; and grain, down 734 carloads, to 21,700.
For the first 18 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,161,847 carloads, up 0.6% from the same point last year; and 4,209,017 intermodal units, a decline of 10.9% from last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 6, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,351 carloads, down 0.1% from the same week last year, and 320,875 intermodal units, down 12.6% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 651,226 carloads and intermodal units, a 6.7% fall-off.
Canadian railroads reported 76,585 carloads for the week, rising 1.0%, and 65,947 intermodal units, dropping 15.6% from the same period in 2022.
Mexican railroads reported 22,048 carloads for the week, a 4.4% decrease compared with the same week in 2022 and 14,787 intermodal units, a 6.8% decrease.
