North American Rail Volume Flat Through Week 6, AAR
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
(Norfolk Southern Photograph)
Through the first six weeks of 2024 (ending Feb. 10), total North American carload and intermodal traffic was down 0.8%—virtually flat—compared with the same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) Feb. 14 report. While Mexico saw a gain, Canada experienced a decline and U.S. traffic was virtually flat.
North American rail volume for the first six weeks of this year on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 3,775,396 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 2,716,022 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.2% from 2023; in Canada, 905,968 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.7%; and in Mexico, 153,406 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.9%.
For the week ending Feb. 10, 2024, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 484,840 carloads and intermodal units, rising 4.5% from the prior-year period, according to the AAR. This comprises 220,362 carloads, down 2.5% from 2023, and 264,478 containers and trailers, up 11.1% compared with last year.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included chemicals, up 1,854 carloads, to 33,109; motor vehicles and parts, up 1,769 carloads, to 15,028; and grain, up 1,687 carloads, to 21,551. Commodity groups that posted declines included coal, down 7,264 carloads, to 61,908; nonmetallic minerals, down 3,111 carloads, to 26,637; and miscellaneous carloads, down 1,066 carloads, to 8,123.
U.S. railroads for the first six weeks of this year reported cumulative volume of 1,245,530 carloads, decreasing 6.4% from the same point in 2023; and 1,470,492 intermodal units, increasing 6.5% from 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending Feb. 10, 2024, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 329,758 carloads, down 1.4% from the same week last year, and 345,065 intermodal units, up 8.9% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 674,823 carloads and intermodal units, rising 3.6%.
Canadian railroads reported 92,811 carloads for the week ending Feb. 10, 2024, down 0.5%—virtually flat—compared with the same week in 2023. They also reported 69,516 intermodal units for the week ending Feb. 10, 2024, up 2.9% from the same point last year.
Mexican railroads reported 16,585 carloads for the week ending Feb. 10, 2024, increasing 9.1% from the prior-year period, and 11,071 intermodal units, falling 2.3%.
