Rail Traffic Still Stuck

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended July 18, 2020, and, for this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 481,597 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.5% compared with the same week last year.

On the heels of some good runs, rail traffic took another hit, as total carloads for the week ended July 18 were 214,685 carloads, down 15.7% compared with the same week in 2019, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 266,912 containers and trailers, down 1.7% compared to 2019.

One of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2019. It was miscellaneous carloads, up 212 carloads, to 10,782. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2019 included commodities such as coal, down 22,464 carloads, to 56,202; metallic ores and metals, down 6,659 carloads, to 15,766; and nonmetallic minerals, down 6,108 carloads, to 30,986.

For the first 29 weeks of 2020, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,117,168 carloads, down 16.1% from the same point last year; and 6,951,086 intermodal units, down 9.6% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 29 weeks of 2020 was 13,068,254 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 12.8% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ended July 18, 2020, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 312,112 carloads, down 13.1% compared with the same week last year, and 354,593 intermodal units, down 1.8% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 666,705 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.5%. North American rail volume for the first 29 weeks of 2020 was 18,061,760 carloads and intermodal units, down 11.7% compared with 2019.

Canadian railroads reported 71,949 carloads for the week, down 13.1%, and 67,698 intermodal units, down 5.1% compared with the same week in 2019. For the first 29 weeks of 2020, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,005,349 carloads, containers and trailers, down 8.5%.

Mexican railroads reported 25,478 carloads for the week, up 16.7% compared with the same week last year, and 19,983 intermodal units, up 10%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 29 weeks of 2020 was 988,157 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 9.9% from the same point last year.