The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that total US.weekly rail traffic was 457 453 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.1% compared with the same week in 2023. Total carloads for the week ending 13 January were 213 277 carloads, down 10.2% compared with the same week in 2023, while US weekly intermodal volume was 244 176 containers and trailers, up 1.9% compared to 2023.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They were chemicals, up 2591 carloads, to 33 076; petroleum and petroleum products, up 389 carloads, to 10 374; and forest products, up 80 carloads, to 8193. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 10 924 carloads, to 58 478; grain, down 8017 carloads, to 18 776; and nonmetallic minerals, down 4515 carloads, to 25 446.
For the first two weeks of 2024, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 421 453 carloads, down 5.0% from the same point in 2023; and 453 257 intermodal units, up 2.7% from 2023. Total combined US traffic for the first two weeks of 2024 was 874 710 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 1.1% compared to 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending 13 January 2024, reported that US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 316 875 carloads, down 9.1% compared with the same week in 2023, and 319 987 intermodal units, up 0.4% compared with 2023. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 636 862 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.6%. North American rail volume for the first two weeks of 2024 was 1 222 708 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.5% compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 86 253 carloads for the week, down 10.8%, and 64 295 intermodal units, down 8.3% compared with the same week in 2023. For the first two weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 295 353 carloads, containers and trailers, down 4.9%.
Mexican railroads reported 17 345 carloads for the week, up 19% compared with the same week in 2023, and 11 516 intermodal units, up 25.8%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first two weeks of 2024 was 52 645 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 16.3% from the same point in 2023.
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