The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported on US rail traffic for the week ending 25 May 2024.
For the week, total US weekly rail traffic was 485 232 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.2% compared with the same week in 2023.
Total carloads for the week ending 25 May were 217 744 carloads, down 6.9% compared with the same week in 2023, while US weekly intermodal volume was 267 488 containers and trailers, up 8.9% compared to 2023.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They were petroleum and petroleum products, up 2073 carloads, to 11 337; chemicals, up 1540 carloads, to 33 439; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 600 carloads, to 17 091. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 12 617 carloads, to 50 216; nonmetallic minerals, down 4158 carloads, to 30 981; and metallic ores and metals, down 2361 carloads, to 21 689.
For the first 21 weeks of 2024, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 4 477 274 carloads, down 5.0% from the same point in 2023; and 5 324 623 intermodal units, up 8.6% from 2023. Total combined US traffic for the first 21 weeks of 2024 was 9 801 897 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.9% compared to 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending 25 May 2024, on 10 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 320 227 carloads, down 4.2% compared with the same week in 2023, and 350 485 intermodal units, up 5.7% compared with 2023. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 670 712 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7%. North American rail volume for the first 21 weeks of 2024 was 13 821 331 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.0% compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 84 882 carloads for the week, down 1.3%, and 70 899 intermodal units, down 5.6% compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 21 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3 385 766 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.7%.
Mexican railroads reported 17 601 carloads for the week, up 24.3% compared with the same week in 2023, and 12 098 intermodal units, up 12.3%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 21 weeks of 2024 was 633 668 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 11.2% from the same point in 2023.
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