North American rail traffic sees gains

For the week, total US weekly rail traffic was 474 544 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8% compared with the same week in 2023.

Total carloads for the week ending 20 April were 216 945 carloads, down 6.7% compared with the same week in 2023, while US weekly intermodal volume was 257 599 containers and trailers, up 8.2% compared to 2023.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2236 carloads, to 16 877; petroleum and petroleum products, up 2119 carloads, to 10 754; and forest products, up 686 carloads, to 8427. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 20 796 carloads, to 47 472; nonmetallic minerals, down 854 carloads, to 31 781; and metallic ores and metals, down 704 carloads, to 21 100.

For the first 16 weeks of 2024, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 3 408 295 carloads, down 4.6% from the same point in 2023; and 4 025 328 intermodal units, up 9.1 % from 2023. Total combined US traffic for the first 16 weeks of 2024 was 7 433 623 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.3% compared to 2023.

North American rail volume for the week ending 20 April 2024, on 10 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 330 830 carloads, down 4.1% compared with the same week in 2023, and 346 266 intermodal units, up 7.1% compared with 2023. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 677 096 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3%. North American rail volume for the first 16 weeks of 2024 was 10 466 666 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.1% compared with 2023.

Canadian railroads reported 96 737 carloads for the week, up 3.8%, and 75 954 intermodal units, up 6.0% compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 16 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2 556 647 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.3%.

Mexican railroads reported 17 148 carloads for the week, down 11.2% compared with the same week in 2023, and 12 713 intermodal units, down 6.8%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 16 weeks of 2024 was 476 396 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 9.0% from the same point in 2023.

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/rail-barge/25042024/north-american-rail-traffic-sees-gains/