U.S. Rail Traffic Continues Downward Trend

Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
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Total U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 23, 2022, came in at 498,011 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.4% from the same point last year, the Association of American Railroads reported on April 27.

This is the ninth consecutive week that traffic has declined.

According to AAR, U.S. Class I railroads hauled 229,044 carloads, a 4.5% dip from the same week last year, and 268,967 containers and trailers, a 9.8% fall-off from 2021.

Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2021. They were motor vehicles and parts, up 1,939 carloads, to 13,250; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 655 carloads, to 16,260. Commodity groups that posted declines included coal, down 6,010 carloads, to 57,894; grain, down 2,351 carloads, to 23,106; and metallic ores and metals, down 1,959 carloads, to 22,259.

For the first 16 weeks of 2022, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,673,871 carloads, a bump-up of 1.4% from the same period in 2021; and 4,179,322 intermodal units, a drop-off of 7% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 16 weeks of 2022 was 7,853,193 carloads and intermodal units, decreasing 3.2% from 2021.

North American rail volume for the week ending April 23, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 328,525 carloads, down 3.5% compared with the same week last year, and 357,139 intermodal units, down 7.8%. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 685,664 carloads and intermodal units, falling 5.8%. North American rail volume for the first 16 weeks of 2022 was 10,673,122 carloads and intermodal units, dipping 4% vs. 2021.

Canadian railroads reported 77,262 carloads for the week, down 1%, and 71,986 intermodal units, up 1% from the same point in 2021. For the first 16 weeks of 2022, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,232,551 carloads, containers and trailers, an 8% decline.

Mexican railroads reported 22,219 carloads for the week, down 1.6%, and 16,186 intermodal units, down 9.3% compared with the same week in 2021. Their cumulative volume for the first 16 weeks of 2022 was 587,378 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1% from 2021.

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