AAR publishes latest traffic update for North America

For the week ending 17 October 2020, total US weekly rail traffic comprised of 518 763 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2% compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the period amounted to 226 828 carloads (down 7.5% compared with the same week in 2019), while US weekly intermodal volume was 291 935 containers and trailers (up 11.3% compared to 2019).

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2019. They included grain (up 4920 carloads to 25 547); miscellaneous carloads (up 1223 carloads to 10 411); and motor vehicles and parts (up 884 carloads to 15 636). Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2019 included coal (down 15 084 carloads to 59 979); non-metallic minerals (down 4932 carloads to 31 058); and petroleum and petroleum products (down 2429 carloads to 10 293).

For the first 42 weeks of 2020, US railroads reported a cumulative volume of 9.025 million carloads (down 14.9% from the same point last year); and 10.62 million intermodal units (down 5.1% from last year). Total combined US traffic for the first 42 weeks of 2020 was 19.64 million carloads and intermodal units (a decrease of 9.8% compared to last year).

North American rail volume for the week ending 17 October 2020, according to 12 reporting US, Canadian, and Mexican railroads, totalled 326 552 carloads (down 5% compared with the same week last year), and 385 001 intermodal units (up 10% compared with last year). Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 711 553 carloads and intermodal units (up 2.6%). North American rail volume for the first 42 weeks of 2020 was 27.03 million carloads and intermodal units (down 9.2% compared with 2019).

Canadian railroads reported 80 201 carloads for the week (up 2.3%), and 78 094 intermodal units (up 14.4% compared with the same week in 2019). For the first 42 weeks of 2020, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5.95 million carloads, containers, and trailers (down 6.7%).

Mexican railroads reported 19 523 carloads for the week (down 3.8% compared with the same week last year), and 14 972 intermodal units (down 22.6%). Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 42 weeks of 2020 was 1.44 million carloads and intermodal containers and trailers (down 10.8 % from the same point last year).

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/dry-bulk/22102020/aar-publishes-latest-traffic-update-for-north-america/