Week 9: U.S. Rail Traffic Returns to Near 2021 Levels

For the week ending March 5, 2022, U.S. rail traffic came in at 505,177 carloads and intermodal units, dipping 1.9% from the same week last year, based on 238,870 carloads—up 2.8% from 2021—and intermodal volume of 266,307 containers and trailers—down 5.8%, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on March 9.

Results for week 8 (ending March 5, 2022) were more in line with the prior-year period; February 2022 results—with double-digit gains—were skewed due to severe winter storms holding back volumes in February 2021, according to AAR.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups in week 8 of 2022 posted increases over the same period in 2021. They included chemicals, up 5,267 carloads, to 34,854; nonmetallic minerals, up 4,746 carloads, to 32,504; and coal, up 2,675 carloads, to 68,304. Commodity groups that posted declines compared with the same week in 2021 included motor vehicles and parts, down 2,641 carloads, to 13,261; grain, down 1,572 carloads, to 24,880; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 1,309 carloads, to 9,195.

For the first nine weeks of 2022, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,056,464 carloads, a 3.5% gain from the same point last year; and 2,298,067 intermodal units, a 7% drop from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first nine weeks of 2022 was 4,354,531 carloads and intermodal units, falling 2.3% from 2021.

North American rail volume for the week ending March 5, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,676 carloads, up 0.5% vs. the same week last year, and 348,821 intermodal units, down 6.7% vs. 2021. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 684,497 carloads and intermodal units, falling 3.3%. North American rail volume for the first nine weeks of 2022 was 5,894,649 carloads and intermodal units, decreasing 3.9% from 2021.

Canadian railroads reported 74,912 carloads for the week, an 8.9% drop, and 66,261 intermodal units, a 12.8% fall-off from the same week in 2021. For the first nine weeks of 2022, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,205,190 carloads, containers and trailers, down 10.4%.

Mexican railroads reported 21,894 carloads for the week, rising 13.9% from the same week in 2021, and 16,253 intermodal units, increasing 6.4%. Their cumulative volume for the first nine weeks of 2022 was 334,928 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, a 1.5% gain over the prior-year period.