North American rail volumes decline

For this week, total US weekly rail traffic was 480,083 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.4% compared with the same week 2023.

Total carloads for the week ending 20 July were 214 348 carloads, down 3.4% compared with the same week in 2023, while US weekly intermodal volume was 265 735 containers and trailers, up 5.8% compared to 2023.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 2387 carloads, to 17 300; petroleum and petroleum products, up 1591 carloads, to 10 745; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1413 carloads, to 16 880. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 6278 carloads, to 57 906; non-metallic minerals, down 3825 carloads, to 30 758; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2175 carloads, to 12 466.

For the first 29 weeks of 2024, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 6 194 152 carloads, down 4.4% from the same point 2023; and 7 404 038 intermodal units, up 8.4% from 2023. Total combined US traffic for the first 29 weeks of 2024 was 13 598 190 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.2% compared to 2023.

North American rail volume for the week ending 20 July 2024, on 10 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 317 607 carloads, down 4.1% compared with the same week 2023, and 346 231 intermodal units, up 3.9% compared with 2023. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 663 838 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.1%. North American rail volume for the first 29 weeks of 2024 was 19 112 113 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3% compared with 2023.

Canadian railroads reported 86 987 carloads for the week, down 3.3%, and 68 443 intermodal units, down 0.6% compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 29 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4 654 977 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.9%.

Mexican railroads reported 16 272 carloads for the week, down 15.9% compared with the same week 2023, and 12 053 intermodal units, down 7.0%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 29 weeks of 2024 was 858 946 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.5% from the same point 2023.

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/rail-barge/25072024/north-american-rail-volumes-decline/